Background The association with adverse cardiovascular (CV) events and NSAIDs has been the topic of much debate.

Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of continuing NSAIDs therapy on predictable parameters for CV events.

Methods We enrolled 155 patients with variable rheumatic diseases (95 rheumatoid arthritis, 49 systemic lupus erythematosus, 3 behçet's disease, 3 gout, 5others.) who were free from established CV diseases and had taken cardiovascular function tests from June 2015 to June 2016. They were divided into two groups depending on whether or not to have taken NSAIDs therapy for at least 5 years: NSAIDs taking group (91 patients) vs. non NSAIDs taking group (64 patients). For evaluating heart function, transthoracic echocardiography was used. Arterial stiffness was assessed using brachial-ankle pulse wave analysis.

Results There were no significant differences in blood pressure, serum creatinine, serum hemoglobin, total cholesterol, erythrocyte sediment rate, C-reactive protein, disease duration, age, and smoking history between the groups. The NSAIDs taking group had a higher median (95% Cl) baPWV (brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity) and median (95% Cl) mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) than non-NSAIDs taking group: baPWV 13.72 (12.77–15.62) vs. 15.29 (13.93–17.63) m/s, p=0.005; mPAP 26.5 (22.8–30.5) vs. 30.5 (27.3–32.3) mmHg, p=0.011. But baPWV and mPAP were not significantly different between selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor (22 patients) and nonselective NSAIDs (69patients): baPWV 15.33 (13.98–17.63) vs. 14.83 (13.82–17.39) m/s, p=0.191; mPAP 29.0 (24.5–34.5) vs. 30.0 (26.0–33.0) mmHg, p=0.960.

Conclusions Our study suggests that continuing NSAIDs therapy is associated with increased arterial stiffness in patients with rheumatic diseases, independently noted to increase the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Disclosure of Interest None declared