Objectives: Clinical expression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) varies by gender, but whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) is gender related in RA is unknown. Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) is a hallmark of CVD in RA patients. We investigated whether the association of LVH with RA is gender driven.Methods: Consecutive outpatients with established RA underwent echocardiography with measurement of LVH at baseline and one follow-up. All participants had no prior history of CVD or diabetes mellitus. We assessed CVD risk factors associated with LVH at follow-up, including sex, age, arterial blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI). We also evaluated inflammatory markers, autoimmunity, disease activity, and the use of RA medications as predictors of LVH.Results: We recruited 145 RA patients (121 females, 83%) and reassessed them after a median (interquartile range) of 36 months (24-50). At baseline, women were more dyslipidemic but otherwise had fewer CVD risk factors than men, including less prevalent smoking habit and hypertension, and smaller waist circumference. At follow-up, we detected LVH in 42/145 (44%) RA patients. LV mass significantly increased only in women. In multiple Cox regression analysis, women with RA had the strongest association with LVH, independently from the presence of CVD risk factors (OR, 6.56; 95% CI, 1.34-30.96) or RA-specific characteristics (OR, 5.14; 95% CI, 1.24-21.34). BMI was also significantly and independently associated with LVH.Conclusion: Among established RA patients, women carry the highest predisposition for LVH.

Sex-Specific Association of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Giollo, Alessandro;Cioffi, Giovanni;Bixio, Riccardo;Fassio, Angelo;Adami, Giovanni;Orsolini, Giovanni;Dalbeni, Andrea;Idolazzi, Luca;Gatti, Davide;Rossini, Maurizio;Viapiana, Ombretta
2021-01-01

Abstract

Objectives: Clinical expression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) varies by gender, but whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) is gender related in RA is unknown. Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) is a hallmark of CVD in RA patients. We investigated whether the association of LVH with RA is gender driven.Methods: Consecutive outpatients with established RA underwent echocardiography with measurement of LVH at baseline and one follow-up. All participants had no prior history of CVD or diabetes mellitus. We assessed CVD risk factors associated with LVH at follow-up, including sex, age, arterial blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI). We also evaluated inflammatory markers, autoimmunity, disease activity, and the use of RA medications as predictors of LVH.Results: We recruited 145 RA patients (121 females, 83%) and reassessed them after a median (interquartile range) of 36 months (24-50). At baseline, women were more dyslipidemic but otherwise had fewer CVD risk factors than men, including less prevalent smoking habit and hypertension, and smaller waist circumference. At follow-up, we detected LVH in 42/145 (44%) RA patients. LV mass significantly increased only in women. In multiple Cox regression analysis, women with RA had the strongest association with LVH, independently from the presence of CVD risk factors (OR, 6.56; 95% CI, 1.34-30.96) or RA-specific characteristics (OR, 5.14; 95% CI, 1.24-21.34). BMI was also significantly and independently associated with LVH.Conclusion: Among established RA patients, women carry the highest predisposition for LVH.
2021
cardiovascular medicine
female sex
gender medicine
heart disease
heart failure
left ventricle hypertrophy
rheumatoid arthritis
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/1046126
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