Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk due to the underlying inflammation ⁽¹⁾. It is uncertain if the excess CV risk could be reduced by effective suppression of inflammation using the treat-to-target (T2T) approach in patients with early RA (ERA).

Objectives: This study compared the 5-year cardiovascular event (CVE) rate among ERA patients managed by a T2T strategy with a CV risk factor-matched non-RA population.

Methods: This was an observational study using the Hong Kong Hospital Authority population-based hospital database known as the Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System (CDARS) and the Clinical Rheumatology Systematic Treat-to-target in Asia Leadership (CRYSTAL) registry. ERA subjects from the registry with baseline disease duration less than 2 years were recruited between 2012-2016. All patients received a tight control, T2T treatment strategy aiming at remission and had been followed for at least 5 years. Each ERA subject was matched to 3 non-RA controls according to age, gender, smoking status, and the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT) and hyperlipidaemia (HL). All subjects on antiplatelet agents, with pre-existing CVD or chronic kidney disease were excluded. All subjects were analysed up to 5 years from baseline. The primary end point was the first occurence of a CVE, namely ischaemic cerebrovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease and heart failure.

Results: The study identified 261 ERA subjects and 783 matched controls. Their characteristics were shown on Table 1. The mean age was 60+/-12 years, 78% were female, 18% were smokers, 8%, 25% and 22% had DM, HT and HL respectively.

CVEs occurred in 2.3% ERA subjects and in 3.3% controls. The difference was statistically insignificant. The CVE-free survival was shown in Figure 1.

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Figure 1.

CVE-free survival curves of ERA subjects & matched controls

In the ERA cohort, after adjusting for baseline age and atherogenic index, cox-regression analysis showed that i) a longer DAS28 remission duration was protective for CVE with an adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) of 0.46 (95% CI 0.23-0.93), while ii) poor baseline function as reflected by a higher health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score was predictive of CVE with an AHR of 5.2 (95% CI 1.2-23).

Conclusion: ERA patients treated by a T2T strategy did not develop excess CVE compared to CV risk factor-matched controls over 5 years. A longer disease remission duration was protective while a higher baseline HAQ was associated with a higher CVE risk.

References: [1]Agca R et al. EULAR recommendations for cardiovascular disease risk management in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory joint disorders: 2015/2016 update. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

Disclosure of Interests: None declared