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Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory joint disorders (IJD) have increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared with the general population. In 2009, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) taskforce recommended screening, identification of CVD risk factors and CVD risk management largely based on expert opinion. In view of substantial new evidence, an update was conducted with the aim of producing CVD risk management recommendations for patients with IJD that now incorporates an increasing evidence base. A multidisciplinary steering committee (representing 13 European countries) comprised 26 members including patient representatives, rheumatologists, cardiologists, internists, epidemiologists, a health professional and fellows. Systematic literature searches were performed and evidence was categorised according to standard guidelines. The evidence was discussed and summarised by the experts in the course of a consensus finding and voting process. Three overarching principles were defined. First, there is a higher risk for CVD in patients with RA, and this may also apply to ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. Second, the rheumatologist is responsible for CVD risk management in patients with IJD. Third, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids should be in accordance with treatment-specific recommendations from EULAR and Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society. Ten recommendations were defined, of which one is new and six were changed compared with the 2009 recommendations. Each designated an appropriate evidence support level. The present update extends on the evidence that CVD risk in the whole spectrum of IJD is increased. This underscores the need for CVD risk management in these patients. These recommendations are defined to provide assistance in CVD risk management in IJD, based on expert opinion and scientific evidence.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether homocysteine is linked to atherothrombotic (AT) events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Analysis of homocysteine (Hcy) levels was carried out in 235 consecutive RA patients. They were followed-up for 6.5 years or until death, with analysis of AT risk factors and the type and length of DMARD and corticosteroid treatment. The disease history before inclusion was collected. Six categories of AT events were defined. In addition, the diagnosis of the patients at follow-up was co-analyzed with the nationwide population-based Swedish Inpatient Register and Death Register to certify all events. RESULTS: The Hcy level was found to be higher in males (p<0.05) and increased with age (p<0.001). Patients with folic acid supplementation had significantly lower levels, while those on corticosteroids had higher levels. High Hcy levels predicted AT events (n=48) during a 6.5-year follow-up adjusted for age and male sex in a logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: In this study, RA patients on folic acid had lower Hcy levels. High Hcy levels (in addition to age, sex and diabetes) predicted AT event prospectively.

Objectives: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to assess the impact of CVD risk factors, including potential sex differences, and RA-specific variables on CVD outcome in a large, international cohort of patients with RA. Methods: In 13 rheumatology centres, data on CVD risk factors and RA characteristics were collected at baseline. CVD outcomes (myocardial infarction, angina, revascularisation, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and CVD death) were collected using standardised definitions. Results: 5638 patients with RA and no prior CVD were included (mean age: 55.3 (SD: 14.0) years, 76% women). During mean follow-up of 5.8 (SD: 4.4) years, 148 men and 241 women developed a CVD event (10-year cumulative incidence 20.9% and 11.1%, respectively). Men had a higher burden of CVD risk factors, including increased blood pressure, higher total cholesterol and smoking prevalence than women (all p<0.001). Among the traditional CVD risk factors, smoking and hypertension had the highest population attributable risk (PAR) overall and among both sexes, followed by total cholesterol. The PAR for Disease Activity Score and for seropositivity were comparable in magnitude to the PAR for lipids. A total of 70% of CVD events were attributable to all CVD risk factors and RA characteristics combined (separately 49% CVD risk factors and 30% RA characteristics). Conclusions: In a large, international cohort of patients with RA, 30% of CVD events were attributable to RA characteristics. This finding indicates that RA characteristics play an important role in efforts to reduce CVD risk among patients with RA.

Objective. To analyze the association of genetic polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory cytokines with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in comparison with healthy controls from Northern Sweden and the potential contribution of these genetic variants for disease severity and development of cardiovascular complications.

Methods. Polymerase chain reaction amplification was used for analysis of TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), variable tandem repeat polymorphism of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene and NcoI RFLP at position -308 of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene, One hundred and fifty-four patients with RA, 42 men and 112 women, were consecutively recruited into the study through the Department of Rheumatology.

Results. The allele A1 of TNF-alpha was more common in the patient group (p < 0.01 OR = 1.62). Patients having the genotype A1A2 seemed to develop more severe disease compared with patients with A1A1 genotype: they were younger at disease onset (p < 0.05), had a higher accumulated disease activity (p < 0.05) and worse functional class (p < 0.05), Patients with genotype A2A2 of IL-1beta had higher accumulated disease activity score than patients with A1A1 and A1A2 (p < 0.05). The allelic combination A1 IL-1beta/A2 IL-1Ra was less prevalent in RA patients who developed cardiovascular complications (p < 0.005 OR = 0.20).

Conclusions. The A1 allele of TNF-alpha associates with RA. Genotypes A1A2 of TNF-alpha and A2A2 of IL-1beta are associated with more severe disease. The allelic combination A1 IL-1beta/A2 IL-1Ra is less often present in RA patients who developed cardiovascular complications.

We recently reported an increased incidence of second malignancies in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). To elucidate whether this increase may be linked, not to TKI but rather to a hereditary or acquired susceptibility to develop cancer, we estimated the prevalence of malignancies, autoimmune disease (AD) and chronic inflammatory disease (CID) in CML patients prior to their CML diagnosis. Nationwide population-based registers were used to identify patients diagnosed with CML in Sweden 2002-2012 and to estimate the prevalence of other malignancies, AD and CID prior to their CML diagnosis. For each patient with CML, five matched controls were selected from the general population. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR). Nine hundred and eighty-four CML patients were assessed, representing more than 45 000 person-years of follow-up. Compared with matched controls, the prevalence of prior malignancies and AD was elevated in CML patients: OR 1.47 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20-1.82) and 1.55 (95% CI 1.21-1.98), respectively. No associations were detected between CML and previous CID. An increased prevalence of other malignancies and AD prior to the diagnosis of CML suggest that a hereditary or acquired predisposition to cancer and/or autoimmunity is involved in the pathogenesis of CML.

Context Recent reports suggest that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE), particularly in conjunction with hospitalization. Using hospitalization data to identify RA and VTE may identify patients when they are at elevated risk for other reasons, obscuring the incompletely understood underlying association between RA and VTE and leading to inappropriate institution or timing of interventions. Objective To estimate risks for VTE in patients with RA, including the relation of these risks to disease duration and hospitalization. Design, Setting, and Patients Prospective, population-based cohort study of 1 prevalent RA cohort (n = 37 856), 1 incident RA cohort (n = 7904), and matched general population comparison cohorts, all from Sweden, with follow-up from 1997 through 2010. Main Outcome Measure First-time VTE. Results Patients with prevalent RA were at greater risk of VTE than the general population (rate, 5.9 [95% CI, 5.1-6.6] vs 2.8 [95% CI, 2.6-3.1] per 1000 person-years (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.0 [95% CI, 1.9-2.2]; P < .001). By the time of RA symptom onset, there was no statistically significant association between a history of VTE and RA (odds ratio, 1.2 [95% CI, 1.0-1.4]; P = .08; 150 events in the RA cohort vs 587 in the comparison cohort). Counting from RA diagnosis, an increased rate in the RA cohort vs the comparison cohort (3.8 [95% CI, 2.5-5.2] vs 2.4 [95% CI, 1.9-2.9] per 1000 person-years; HR, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.1-2.5]; P = .02) was detected within the first year and did not increase further during the first decade. Although rates for VTE following hospitalization were higher, the 1-year rate of VTE per 1000 person-years was not higher in the RA cohort than in the comparison cohort after hospital discharge (11.8 [95% CI, 8.6-15.1] vs 13.1 [11.3-14.8]; HR, 1.0 [95% CI, 0.7-1.4]; P = .90). The rates of VTE increased with age but were largely similar across sex and rheumatoid factor status, as were the HRs for VTE across age, sex, and rheumatoid factor status. Conclusions Compared with the general population, Swedish patients with RA had an elevated risk for VTE that was stable over the first 10 years after diagnosis. Although hospitalization was a risk factor for VTE the first year after discharge, the excess risk was not greater in patients with RA than in the general population. 

Objective In contrast with the wealth of data on ischaemic heart disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), data on stroke are scarce and contradictory. Despite the high clinical and aetiological relevance, there is no data regarding when (if ever) after RA diagnosis there is an increased risk. Our objective was to assess the risk of stroke (by subtype) in contemporary patients with RA, particularly in relation to time since RA diagnosis. Methods One incident RA cohort diagnosed between 1997 and 2009 (n=8077) and one nationwide prevalent RA cohort followed at Swedish rheumatology clinics between 2005 and 2009 ((n=39065) were assembled). Each cohort member was matched to a general population comparator. Information on first-time hospitalisations for stroke up to 2009 was retrieved from the Swedish Patient Register. HR and 95% CI were estimated using Cox models. Results In prevalent unselected RA, the HR of ischaemic stroke was 1.29 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.41). In the incident RA cohort, the overall risk increase was small and nonsignificant (overall HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.30). When stratified by RA disease duration, an increased risk of ischaemic stroke was indeed detectable but only after 10 or more years since RA diagnosis (HR>10 years: 2.33, 95% CI 1.25 to 4.34). Risk of haemorrhagic stroke was increased in prevalent but not in incident RA. Conclusion The magnitude of stroke risk is lower than for ischaemic heart disease in RA, and the evolvement of this risk from RA diagnosis may be slower. This suggests different driving forces behind these two RA co-morbidities and has implications for the clinical follow-up of patients with RA.

Objective: To investigate associations between physical activity and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), subclinical atherosclerosis, and disease activity in patients with early and long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Method: This cross-sectional study included 84 patients with early and 37 with long-standing RA (disease duration, mean ± sd: 1.4 ± 0.4 and 16.3 ± 2.3 years, respectively). Physical activity was measured using a combined accelerometer and heart-rate monitor. Further assessments were disease activity (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints), functional ability (Health Assessment Questionnaire), risk factors for CVD (blood lipids, i.e. triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein; blood glucose, blood pressure, sleeping heart rate, waist circumference, body mass index, and body fat), and subclinical atherosclerosis (pulse-wave velocity, augmentation index, and carotid intima–media thickness).

Results: Physical activity variables did not differ between patients with early and long-standing RA. However, 37% of the patients with early and 43% of those with long-standing RA did not reach the World Health Organization’s recommended levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). In a final multiple regression model, adjusted for age, gender, disease duration, and activity monitor wear time, higher total physical activity was associated with lower body fat and higher functional ability. With the same adjustments, more time spent in MVPA was associated with lower high-density lipoprotein and lower sleeping heart rate.

Conclusions: Physical activity was associated with more favourable risk factors for CVD. However, many patients were physically inactive, stressing the importance of promoting physical activity in RA.

The aim of this study was to analyse the change in aerobic capacity from disease onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over 16.2 years, and its associations with disease activity and cardiovascular risk factors. Twenty-five patients (20 f/5 m), diagnosed with RA 1995-2002 were tested at disease onset and after mean 16.2 years. Parameters measured were: sub-maximal ergometer test for aerobic capacity, functional ability, self-efficacy, ESR, CRP and DAS28. At follow-up, cardiovascular risk factors were assessed as blood lipids, glucose concentrations, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), body composition, pulse wave analysis and carotid intima-media thickness. Aerobic capacity [median (IQR)] was 32.3 (27.9-42.1) ml O₂/kg x min at disease onset, and 33.2 (28.4-38.9) at follow-up (p>0.05). Baseline aerobic capacity was associated with follow-up values of: BMI (r_s = -.401, p = .047), waist circumference (r_s = -.498, p = .011), peripheral pulse pressure (r_s = -.415, p = .039) self-efficacy (r_s = .420, p = .037) and aerobic capacity (r_s = .557, p = .004). In multiple regression models adjusted for baseline aerobic capacity, disease activity at baseline and over time predicted aerobic capacity at follow-up (AUC DAS28, 0-24 months; β = -.14, p = .004). At follow-up, aerobic capacity was inversely associated with blood glucose levels (r_s = -.508, p = .016), BMI (r_s = -.434, p = .030), body fat% (r_s = -.419, p = .037), aortic pulse pressure (r_s = -.405, p = .044), resting heart rate (r_s = -.424, p = .034) and self-efficacy (r_s = .464, p = .020) at follow-up. We conclude that the aerobic capacity was maintained over 16 years. High baseline aerobic capacity associated with favourable measures of cardiovascular risk factors at follow-up. Higher disease activity in early stages of RA predicted lower aerobic capacity after 16.2 years.

Purpose: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Exercise is known to reduce this risk in the general population but the cardiovascular effects in patients with RA need further study. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of spinning exercise on the traditional risk factors for CVD, aerobic capacity and inflammation in patients with RA.

Methods: Thirteen subjects (12 females, 1 male; median age 57 years) attended intensive spinning sessions lasting 45 minutes, 3 times per week for 10 weeks. Measurements at baseline and at 10 and 25 weeks were aerobic capacity, pulse wave analysis with aortic and peripheral blood pressure (BP), disease activity (CRP, ESR, tender and swollen joints and global health assessment), blood lipid levels, body mass index (BMI), functional ability, and subjective diary notes. Friedman's test and the paired Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to measure changes over time. Correlation analyses were made by the Spearman rank correlation method.

Results: There were significant improvements over time in aerobic capacity, systolic BP, BMI and tender joint count (p<0.05). After 10 weeks the subjects showed significant improvements in terms of aerobic capacity (+7 ml O2/kg x min; p<0.05), systolic BP (-10.8 mm Hg; p<0.01) and tender joint count (p<0.05). After 25 weeks there was still a significant improvement in systolic BP (p<0.05) compared to baseline.

Conclusions: Intensive spinning exercise for 10 weeks induced a clinically relevant improvement in aerobic capacity and BP. No detrimental effect on disease activity was recorded.

INTRODUCTION: Disease activity, severity and co-morbidity contribute to increased mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We evaluated the impact of age at disease onset on prognostic risk factors and treatment in early disease.

METHODS: In this study, 950 RA patients were followed regularly from inclusion (<12 months from symptom onset) for disease activity (erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), tender/swollen joints, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain/global, disease activity score (DAS28)) and function (health assessment questionnaire (HAQ)). Disease severity, measured by radiographs of hands/feet (erosions, Larsen score), extra-articular disease, nodules and co-morbidities and treatment (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), corticosteroids, biologics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)) were recorded at inclusion and after 5 years. Autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptides (ACPA)) and genetic markers (human leukocyte antibody (HLA)-shared epitope, protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 22 (PTPN22)) were analyzed at inclusion. Data were stratified as young (YORA) and late (LORA) onset RA, defined as being below/above median age (58 years) at onset.

RESULTS: LORA was associated with lower frequency of ACPA (P <0.05) and carriage of PTPN22-T variant (P <0.01), but with greater disease activity at inclusion measured as ESR (P < 0.001), CRP (P <0.01) and accumulated disease activity (area under the curve for DAS28) at 6 (P <0.01), 12 (P <0.01) and 24 months (P <0.05), and a higher HAQ score (P <0.01) compared with YORA. At baseline and 24 months, LORA was more often associated with erosions (P <0.01 for both) and a higher Larsen score (P <0.001 for both). LORA was more often treated with corticosteroids (P <0.01), less often with methotrexate (P <0.001) and biologics (P <0.001). YORA was more often associated with early DMARD treatment (P <0.001). Multiple regression analyses supported our findings regarding impact of age on chosen treatment.

CONCLUSION: YORA patients were more frequently ACPA-positive. LORA was more often associated with erosions, higher Larsen scores, disease activity and HAQ at baseline. Nevertheless, YORA was treated earlier with DMARDs, whilst LORA was more often treated with corticosteroids and with less DMARDs in early disease. This could have implications for development of co-morbidities.

Introduction Co-morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) are increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Most published studies in this field are retrospective or cross sectional. We investigated the presence of traditional and disease related risk factors for CVD at the onset of RA and during the first 5 years following diagnosis. We also evaluated their potential for predicting a new cardiovascular event (CVE) during the 5 year follow-up period and the modulatory effect of pharmacological treatment.

Methods All patients from the four northern-most counties of Sweden with early RA are since December 1995 consecutively recruited at diagnsosis (T0) into a large survey on the progress of the disease. Information regarding cardiovascular co-morbidity and related predictors was collected from clinical records and supplemented with questionnaires. By April 2008, 700 patients had been included of whom 442 patients had reached the 5-year follow-up (T5).

Result Among the 442 patients who reached T5 during the follow-up period, treatment for hypertension increased from 24.5 to 37.4% ( p<0.001)), diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) from 7.1 to 9.5%(p<0.01) whilst smoking decreased from 29.8 to 22.4 % ( p<0.001) and the BMI from 26.3 to 25.8( p<0.05) , respectively. By T5, 48 patients had suffered a new CVE of which 12 were fatal. A total of 23 patients died during the follow-up period. Age at disease onset, male sex, a previous CVE, DM, treatment for hypertension, triglyceride level, cumulative disease activity (AUC DAS28), extra-articular disease, corticosteroid use, shorter duration of treatment with DMARDs and use of COX-2 inhibitors increased the hazard rate for a new CVE. A raised ESR at inclusion and AUC DAS28 at 6 months increased the hazard rate of CVE independently whilst DMARD treatment was protective in multiple Cox extended models adjusted for sex and CV risk factors. The risk of a CVE due to inflammation was potentiated by traditional CV risk factors.

Conclusion The occurrence of new CV events in very early RA was explained by traditional CV risk factors and was potentiated by high disease activity. Treatment with DMARDs decreased the risk. The results may have implications for cardio-protective strategies in RA.

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suffer from co-morbidities that contribute to a shortened lifespan. Inflammation is important for the development of cardiovascular disease, but little is known on its relationship with other co-morbidities. We investigated the role of inflammation for the development of new comorbidities in early RA. Methods: Since 1995, all patients with early RA in Northern Sweden are included in a prospective study on comorbidities, with a total of 950 patients being included. At the time for this study, 726 had been ill for >= 5 years. Data on co-morbidities, clinical and laboratory disease activity and pharmacological therapy were collected from patient records and further validated using a questionnaire at RA onset (T0) and after 5 years (T5). Results: Of the patients, 53.2 % of the patients had one or more co-morbidity at onset, the commonest being: hypertension (27.3 %), obstructive pulmonary disease (13.9 %), diabetes (8.0 %), hypothyroidism (6.3 %) and malignancy (5.0 %). After 5 years, 41.0 % had developed at least one new co-morbidity, the most common being: hypertension (15.1 %), malignancy (7.6 %), stroke/transient ischemic accident (5.1 %), myocardial infarction (4.3 %) and osteoporosis (3.7 %). Age at disease onset, a raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) at inclusion, previous treatment with glucocorticoids (GC; p < 0.001 for all), extra-articular RA (Ex-RA; p < 0.01), DAS28 (area under the curve) at 24 months (p < 0.05), previous smoking at inclusion (p = 0.058) and male gender (p < 0.01) were associated with a new co-morbidity overall at T5. Treatment with biologics (p < 0.05) reduced the risk. In multiple logistic regression modelling, ESR (p = 0.036) at inclusion was associated with a new co-morbidity after 5 years, adjusted for age, sex, smoking and GC treatment. In a similar model, Ex-RA (p < 0.05) was associated with a new co-morbidity at T5. In a third model, adjusted for age and sex, a new pulmonary co-morbidity was associated with a smoking history at inclusion (p < 0.01), but not with ESR. Conclusion: There was substantial co-morbidity among early RA patients already at disease onset, with considerable new co-morbidity being added during the first five years. Measures of disease activity were associated with the occurrence of a new co-morbidity indicating that the inflammation is of importance in this context.

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and increased mortality in CVD. The cause of this increase has not been completely established, but chronic inflammation is thought to play a role. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors also appear to be important and may be potentiated by this inflammation. The Swedish Society for Rheumatology (SRF) has developed a set of guidelines for screening and primary prevention of CVD in patients with RA. The aim of this study was to evaluate these guidelines in a clinical setting.

Method: Forty-seven patients newly diagnosed with RA during 2012 at the Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Umeå were recruited. Three months after initial diagnosis of RA, patients were examined physically and blood samples were collected with regard to traditional cardiovascular risk factors according to the guidelines from the SRF. Tests of cardiorespiratory fitness were also performed. Additionally, patients received simple counselling regarding matters of diet, tobacco use and exercise from a nurse and a physiotherapist, respectively. The counselling session, based upon national guidelines from the National Food Agency and the Public Health Agency, was performed once per patient and lasted for approximately 45 minutes. A follow-up was performed 9 months after the first examination. This intervention was integrated into the clinic’s pre-existing early RA follow-up programme. The results were adjusted for disease activity and disability.

Results: Among the 47 included patients, 45 reached the 9-month follow-up. Two were excluded because of delayed follow-up. Mean diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly from 80 to 77 mmHg (p < 0.05). Mean S-cholesterol decreased significantly from 5.5 to 5.2 mmol/L (p < 0.05). Mean ApoA1/ApoB decreased significantly from 0.73 to 0.65 (p < 0.05). In all the remaining variables (waist circumference, BMI, systolic blood pressure, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, FP-glucose), a clear decreasing trend could be observed (p > 0.05). Aerobic capacity according to Åstrand remained unchanged (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Several traditional risk factors for CVD were improved at the 9-month follow-up. This suggests that this model of screening according to the SRF guidelines and simple counselling according to national guidelines might be useful in primary prevention of CVD in patients with RA.

BACKGROUND: There is a relationship between cardiovascular morbidity, inflammatory activity, and changes in the lipid profile in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), although the mechanisms are not fully elaborated. Recent know-ledge that white adipose tissue (WAT) is a producer of immunologically and metabolically active substances gives another perspective to study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and variables associated with WAT and inflammation in RA.

METHODS: Anthropometric, inflammatory and metabolic variables were assessed in 23 women with RA and 23 matched controls. Spearman, partial correlation and factor analyses were performed.

RESULTS: Inflammatory markers were increased in patients. In both groups, IL-1Ra correlated with leptin independent of age and BMI. IL-1Ra also correlated with haptoglobin and apolipoprotein (Apo) B in patients and with soluble TNF receptor (sTNFR) 1 in controls. In factor analysis, three latent factors were identified among patients. The first loaded on IL-1Ra, leptin, BMI, ApoB and body fat content (BF%), the second loaded on IL1-Ra and sTNF-receptors and the third showed inverse loadings on ApoA-I together with loadings on ESR, haptoglobin, orosomucoid, BF% and BMI.

CONCLUSION: IL-1Ra was associated with markers of inflammation and with fat-related factors in RA patients, suggesting a dualistic relationship of IL-1Ra in RA. IL-1Ra correlated independently with leptin in both patients and controls, indicating a relationship between inflammation and leptin.

Aims Despite a wealth of studies describing an increased incidence of acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), considerably less is known about the clinical characteristics and their association with short-term outcome of such ACS. The aims of this study were therefore to investigate clinical characteristics and case-fatality rates following ACS in patients with RA. Methods and results We compared the clinical presentation of incident ACS between 2007 and 2010 and their short-term mortality in a cohort of 1135 subjects with prevalent RA and in a cohort of 3184 matched general population comparators. Rheumatoid arthritis subjects more frequently presented with sudden cardiac death, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions, had higher levels of troponin and higher frequencies of in-hospital complications compared with the general population comparators. Furthermore, the short-term mortality was higher among RA-associated ACS (7-day hazard ratio (HR) = 1.65 [95% CI 1.32-2.08]; 30-day HR = 1.57 [95% CI 1.30-1.89]), which were somewhat attenuated but remained statistically significantly increased following adjustment for previous comorbidities, demographics, and educational level (7-day HR = 1.50 [95% CI 1.19-1.90]; 30-day HR = 1.43 [95% CI 1.18-1.72]), and for ACS type (7-day HR = 1.44 [95% CI 1.14-1.82]; 30-day HR = 1.36 [95% CI 1.13-1.64]). Conclusion Patients with prevalent RA suffer more severe ACSs compared with the general population and also have poorer outcomes after the events, which can only partly be explained by increased event severity.

Objectives: Smoking is a major risk factor for the development of both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and RA and may cause attenuated responses to anti-rheumatic treatments. Our aim was to compare disease activity, CVD risk factors and CVD event rates across smoking status in RA patients. Methods: Disease characteristics, CVD risk factors and relevant medications were recorded in RA patients without prior CVD from 10 countries (Norway, UK, Netherlands, USA, Sweden, Greece, South Africa, Spain, Canada and Mexico). Information on CVD events was collected. Adjusted analysis of variance, logistic regression and Cox models were applied to compare RA disease activity (DAS28), CVD risk factors and event rates across categories of smoking status. Results: Of the 3311 RA patients (1012 former, 887 current and 1412 never smokers), 235 experienced CVD events during a median follow-up of 3.5 years (interquartile range 2.5-6.1). At enrolment, current smokers were more likely to have moderate or high disease activity compared with former and never smokers (P < 0.001 for both). There was a gradient of worsening CVD risk factor profiles (lipoproteins and blood pressure) from never to former to current smokers. Furthermore, former and never smokers had significantly lower CVD event rates compared with current smokers [hazard ratio 0.70 (95% CI 0.51, 0.95), P = 0.02 and 0.48 (0.34, 0.69), P < 0.001, respectively]. The CVD event rates for former and never smokers were comparable. Conclusion: Smoking cessation in patients with RA was associated with lower disease activity and improved lipid profiles and was a predictor of reduced rates of CVD events.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic synovitis and articular cartilage destruction. Increased activities of cathepsin S and cathepsin L, two potent cysteine proteases, are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of the irreversible articular cartilage destruction. Nevertheless, data regarding the potential importance of the cathepsins as circulating biomarkers in RA patients are limited. Method: Subjects enrolled in this study are part of a larger study where patients from the three northern counties of Sweden diagnosed with early RA are followed in an ongoing prospective study. In total, 71 patients were included, along with 44 age-and sex-matched control subjects. Plasma levels of cathepsin S and L were analysed. Disease severity was assessed using the 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Results: Plasma levels of cathepsin S and L were significantly increased in patients with RA compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05 for both). However, in the patients with RA, no association between the cathepsins and the severity of the disease, as characterized by DAS28, was observed (p > 0.51). Conclusions: Although circulating levels of cathepsin S and L were significantly increased in patients with recently diagnosed RA, our data do not support the notion that circulating levels of cathepsins are relevant biomarkers for disease severity.

The objective of the study was to investigate the antigen specificity and occurrence of individual autoantibodies in mothers of children diagnosed with atrioventricular (AV) block in a nation-wide setting. Patients with AV block detected before 15 years of age were identified using national quality registries as well as a network of pediatric and adult cardiologists and rheumatologists at the six university hospitals in Sweden. Patients with gross heart malformations, surgically or infectiously induced blocks were excluded. Blood samples were obtained from the mothers and maternal autoantibody profile, including the occurrence of antibodies against Ro52, Ro60, La, SmB, SmD, RNP-70k, RNP-A, RNP-C, CENP-C, Scl-70, Jo-1, ribosomal RNP and histones was investigated in 193 mothers of children with AV block by immunoblotting and ELISA. Autoantibody reactivity was detected in 48% (93/193) of the mothers of children with AV block. In autoantibody-positive mothers, the vast majority, 95% (88/93), had antibodies against Ro52, while 63% (59/93) had autoantibodies to Ro60 and 58% (54/93) had autoantibodies to La. In addition, 13% (12/93) of the autoantibody-positive mothers had antibodies to other investigated antigens besides Ro52, Ro60 and La, and of these anti-histone antibodies were most commonly represented, detected in 8% (7/93) of the mothers. In conclusion, this Swedish population-based study confirm that maternal autoantibodies may associate with heart block in the child. Further, our data demonstrate a dominant role of Ro52 antibodies in association with AV block.

Aims: Rheumatoid arthritis may influence the outcome after an acute myocardial infarction. We aimed to compare trends in one-year mortality, co-morbidities and treatments after a first acute myocardial infarction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis versus non-rheumatoid arthritis patients during 1998-2013. Furthermore, we wanted to identify characteristics associated with mortality.

Methods and results: Data for 245,377 patients with a first acute myocardial infarction were drawn from the Swedish Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart Intensive Care Admissions for 1998-2013. In total, 4268 patients were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to study mortality trends over time and multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to identify variables associated with mortality. The one-year mortality in rheumatoid arthritis patients was initially lower compared to non-rheumatoid arthritis patients (14.7% versus 19.7%) but thereafter increased above that in non-rheumatoid arthritis patients (17.1% versus 13.5%). In rheumatoid arthritis patients the mean age at admission and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation increased over time. Congestive heart failure decreased more in non-rheumatoid arthritis than in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, kidney failure, rheumatoid arthritis, prior diabetes mellitus and hypertension were associated with significantly higher one-year mortality during the study period 1998-2013.

Conclusions: The decrease in one-year mortality after acute myocardial infarction in non-rheumatoid arthritis patients was not applicable to rheumatoid arthritis patients. This could partly be explained by an increased age at acute myocardial infarction onset and unfavourable trends with increased atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis per se was associated with a significantly worse prognosis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, e.g. atherogenic blood lipids, hypertension and lifestyle-related factors such as smoking, diet and physical inactivity, differ among patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in comparison to the general population. Eighty-eight patients diagnosed with AS were identified by analysis of the databases of a previous community intervention programme, the Västerbotten intervention programme. The patients were compared with 351 controls matched for age, sex and study period. These databases include the results of blood samples analysed for cholesterol, triglycerides and plasma glucose, as well as data on hypertension, height, weight, smoking and dietary habits and physical activity. No significant differences were found between patients and controls regarding hypertension, body mass index, physical activity, diet or smoking. Levels of serum triglycerides (p < 0.01) and cholesterol (p < 0.01) were significantly lower in the patient group. Among the patients, the level of triglycerides correlated inversely with the intake of total fat (r _s = −0.25, p < 0.05), monounsaturated fats (r _s = −0.29, p < 0.05) and positively correlated to the intake of carbohydrates (r _s = 0.26, p < 0.05). These associations were not apparent among the controls. In the cohort of AS patients studied, no differences were found regarding the modifiable risk factors for CVD compared with the general population. Hence, the increased presence of CVD in patients with AS may be caused by other factors such as differences in metabolism and medication such as NSAID or the chronic low-grade inflammation present in the disease.

Background: An increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been reported among patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS).  As of today, little is known what causes this increase.  The aim of this study was to evaluate whether diet and traditional CVD risk factors differ among AS patients in comparison to the general population.

Material and method: Eighty-nine patients diagnosed with AS by fulfilling the modified New York criteria were identified in the databases of a community intervention programme, the Västerbotten Intervention Programme (VIP).  The patients were compared with 356 controls matched for age, sex and study period.  As part of the VIP, participants have completed questionnaires regarding diet, physical activity and smoking.  Additionally, the VIP included measurement of blood pressure, height and weight, and blood samples analysed for cholesterol, serum triglycerides and blood glucose.

Results: No significant differences were found between patients and controls regarding diet, physical activity, exercise frequency or smoking habits; nor in measurements of body mass index (BMI), weight or blood pressure.  However, levels of serum triglycerides (p<0.01) and cholesterol (p<0.01) were significantly lower in the patient group.  Among the patients, the level of triglycerides was inversely correlated to the intake of total fat (r_s = -0.25, p<0.05), monounsaturated fats (r_s = -0.29, p<0.05) and positively correlated to the intake of carbohydrates (r_s = 0.26, p<0.05).  These correlations were not seen among the controls.

Conclusions: The patients exhibited significantly lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides compared with controls.  There were correlations between diet and atherogenic blood lipids among the patients which were not found in the control group.  The results suggest that there may be differences in fat metabolism among patients with AS in comparison to the general population.

Objectives: To investigate the fatty acid composition in the diet, plasma phospholipids, and adipose tissue among a cohort of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and to determine their correlation to disease activity and blood lipids in a cross-sectionally designed study.

Methods: Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire on 66 patients with AS. The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in plasma phospholipids and gluteal adipose tissue were measured using gas chromatography. Disease status was quantified using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), high sensitivity C-reactive protein and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Results: Diet did not correlate to disease activity assessed by the BASDAI, but there were negative correlation between the dietary intake of long-chained omega-3 fatty acids and ESR (rs=-0.27, p<0.05). The plasma phospholipid content of arachidonic acid (AA) correlated significantly with the BASDAI score (rs=0.39, p<0.01). There were correlations between the intake of long-chained omega-3 fatty acids and high-density lipoproteins as well as to serum triglycerides (rs=0.26 and rs=-0.25; respectively, p<0.05).

Conclusion: There was a positive correlation between levels of AA in plasma phospholipids and disease activity assessed by BASDAI in patients with AS. A western diet does not appear to influence this correlation, but seems to affect blood lipids involved in atherogenic processes. 

Objective: To evaluate the course of impaired spinal mobility in patients with long‐standing well‐defined ankylosing spondylitis (AS ).

Methods: Data from 232 patients with AS (186 men, 46 women) and 3,849 clinical measurements performed between February 1980 and June 2016 were analyzed. Lateral spinal flexion (LSF ), the 10‐cm Schober test, chest expansion (CE ), and cervical rotation measurements were stratified by disease duration at 10‐year intervals and compared with published age‐ and height‐adjusted spinal mobility reference intervals as well as with fixed reference values commonly used in clinical practice.

Results: After 10 years of AS , most patients exhibited at least 1 measurement, most commonly LSF , that was under the 2.5th percentile of the adjusted reference interval (53% of men, 65% of women). In all measurements except CE , there were significant linear increases in the proportion of patients during 40 years of disease duration who exhibited impaired mobility. Measured LSF values <2.5th percentile (mean 14.8 cm) after 10 years were associated with further spinal mobility impairments later in the disease course. Fixed reference values yielded higher proportions of patients with impaired mobility compared with adjusted reference intervals.

Conclusion: Impaired spinal mobility in AS is common after a 10‐year disease duration. LSF below the 2.5th percentile at 10 years appeared to be associated with a worse prognosis. Fixed reference values overestimated spinal mobility impairments in AS and should be avoided.

The aims of this study were to investigate, firstly, the relationship between diet and disease activity and, secondly, the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms and their relationship to diet among patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) using a cross-sectional design. One hundred sixty-five individuals diagnosed with AS were invited to complete a self-administered postal questionnaire regarding demographic data, diet, medication, and gastrointestinal symptoms in addition to two established disease assessment questionnaires, i.e., the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). No significant correlation between diet and disease activity was found. Overall, 27% of the patients reported aggravating gastrointestinal problems when consuming certain foodstuff(s). The 30% of patients who reported suffering from gastrointestinal pain had significantly greater disease activity and poorer functional status according to their BASDAI and BASFI scores (p < 0.01 and p = 0.01, respectively). Patients who reported gastrointestinal pain had a significantly higher consumption of vegetables (p < 0.01) and lower consumption of milk and soured milk (p = 0.04). No significant correlation was found between the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and gastrointestinal symptoms. In multiple regression models, BASDAI and the consumption of vegetables were independent and statistically significant predictors of gastrointestinal pain. To conclude, in a group of Swedish AS patients, no correlation between diet and disease activity could be detected. There were, however, correlations between diet and gastrointestinal pain. Gastrointestinal problems were also found to be prevalent in AS, independent of NSAID usage.

Background: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the basic treatment of pain and stiffness in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). NSAIDs act by blocking the synthesis of eicosanoids which are derived from 20-carbon long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs). LCPUFAs in the body are obtained from the diet or from endogenous elongation of shorter dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Objectives: In a cross-sectional design, dietary intake of LCPUFAs, composition of LCPUFAs in plasma and adipose tissues and disease activity were assessed among patients with AS who were not on treatment with biologics.

Methods: Blood samples and gluteal fat biopsy were drawn from sixty-six patients (51 male, 15 female,mean age 48 years, range 26-65) with AS fulfilling the modified New York criteria. Dietary intake of LCPUFAs were calculated on the basis of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Plasma and adipose tissue content of LCPUFAs were assessed using gas chromatography. Disease status was measured with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, Westergren), high sensitive C-reactive protein (hiCRP) and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI).

Results: The plasma level of AA correlated significantly with disease activity according to both the total BASDAI score, and five of its six sub-scores (Table 1). Contents of LCPUFAs in gluteal adipose tissue and dietary intake of LCPUFAs did not correlate significantly with the BASDAI indices. Patients with higher ratings on BASDAI had numerically higher hiCRP and ESR, although the difference did not reach statistically significant level.

Objective. This prospective followup study investigated subclinical atherosclerosis in relation to traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recruited at diagnosis compared with controls. Methods. Patients diagnosed with early RA were consecutively recruited into a prospective study. From these, a subgroup aged <= 60 years (n = 71) was consecutively included for ultrasound measurement of intima-media thickness (IMT) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) at inclusion (T0) and after 5 years (T5). Age-and sex-matched controls (n = 40) were also included. Results. In the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, both IMT and FMD were significantly aggravated at T5 compared to baseline in patients with RA, whereas only IMT was significantly increased in controls. In univariate linear regression analyses among patients with RA, the IMT at T5 was significantly associated with age, systolic blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, triglycerides, Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), and Reynolds Risk Score at baseline (p < 0.05). Similarly, FMD at T5 was significantly inversely associated with age, smoking, systolic BP, SCORE, and Reynolds Risk Score (p < 0.05). A model with standardized predictive value from multiple linear regression models including age, smoking, BP, and blood lipids at baseline significantly predicted the observed value of IMT after 5 years. When also including the area under the curve for the 28-joint Disease Activity Score over 5 years, the observed value of IMT was predicted to a large extent. Conclusion. This prospective study identified an increased subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with RA. In the patients with RA, several traditional CVD risk factors at baseline significantly predicted the extent of subclinical atherosclerosis 5 years later. The inflammatory load over time augmented this prediction.

Objectives: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this prospective 5-year follow up of patients with RA, we analysed several biomarkers, known to be associated with atherosclerosis and/or inflammation in the general population. The aim of this study was to find out whether the RA-disease per se affect these biomarkers and if those could be associated with the progression of atherosclerosis, as measured by intima media thickness (IMT) among patients with early RA.

Methods: Patients from northern Sweden diagnosed with early RA, are consecutively recruited into an ongoing prospective study on CVD comorbidity. A subgroup of patients, aged ≤60 years (n = 71) was included for ultrasound measurements of IMT at inclusion (T0) and after 5 years (T5) together with age-sex-matched controls (n = 40). The patients were clinically assessed. Blood was analysed for lipids, ESR and CRP and several biomarkers known to be associated with atherosclerosis in the general population.

Results: At T0, the patients with RA had significantly lower levels of MIF and significantly higher levels of interleukin (IL)-18 and MIC-1 compared with controls. At T5, the patients with RA had significantly higher levels of pentraxin3, MIC-1, TNF-R2, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and endostatin compared with controls. At T0 the levels of MPO correlated with DAS28, sCD40L with CRP and IL-18 with systolic blood pressure and Reynolds risk score. Using PLSR on a CVD-panel analysed with multiplex immunoassay, the patients with RA could be correctly classified into those who had a worsening in their IMT over the five years or not. Here, MMP3 was identified as influential.

Conclusions: This study indicates that the RA disease itself could affect several of the biomarkers in this study, and possibly also the processes involved in the development of atherosclerosis.

Objective. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), a marker of vascular inflammation, is associated with cardiovascular disease. This prospective study of an inception cohort aimed to investigate whether the level of Lp-PLA2 is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Patients from northern Sweden diagnosed with early RA were consecutively recruited into an ongoing prospective study. From these, all patients <= 60 years (n = 71) were included for measurements of subclinical atherosclerosis at inclusion (T0) and five years later (T5). Forty age-and sex-matched controls were included. The patients were clinically assessed, SCORE, Reynolds Risk Score, and Larsen score were calculated, and blood samples were drawn from all individuals at T0 and T5. Results. There was no significant difference in the level of Lp-PLA2 between patients with RA and controls (p > 0.05). In simple linear regression models among patients with RA, Lp-PLA2 at T0 was significantly associated with intima media thickness (IMT) at T0 and T5, flow mediated dilation (FMD) at T0 and T5, ever smoking, male sex, HDL-cholesterol (inversely), non-HDL-cholesterol, SCORE, Reynolds Risk Score, and Larsen score (p < 0.05). Conclusion. In this cohort of patients with early RA, the concentration of Lp-PLA2 was associated with both subclinical atherosclerosis and disease severity.