Early Screening Of Preclinical Vasculopathy In Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective This study aims to evaluate the correlation between vasculitis specific biomarker and arterial stiffness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured in RA group (n=132) and age, gender, height matched healthy volunteers (n=132). The vasculitis specific biomarkers, biochemical and immune indices were recorded in 107 RA patients, multiple regression analysis was performed for the RA patients to determine the independent predictors of baPWV. Echo-tracking technique was used to measure pressure elastic coefficient (Eρ) and stiffness parameter (β) of brachial and posterior tibial artery in 25 patients with RA and 48 matched controls.Results The baPWV in RA group has significant increase in comparison with control group (15.0 [9.2-30.0] m/s versus 12.6[9.6-16.0] m/s, respectively, P<0.0001). On multiple regression, baPWV correlated independently with age, heart rate, mean arterial pressure and protoplasmic-staining antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies(P-ANCA) (R2adj=0.6868, P<0.0001; F=33.32,P<0.0001; power>85%; n=107). The Ep (477.9±138.1 versus 315.2±111.9 KPa; P<0.0001) andβ(34.90±11.00 versus 24.99±7.81; P<0.0001) of posterior tibial artery in RA group were significantly higher than that in control group. There were not significant difference in Eρandβof brachial artery between the two groups (p>0.05).Conclusions There was a significant increase of baPWV in RA group which correlated well with the positive rate of P-ANCA. BaPWV may become a noninvasive index for early screening of high risk population suffering from vasculopathy in patients with RA.