Clinical characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular risk scores of 112 biologic-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of follow-up
| Variables | Baseline | 3 months | 6 months |
| CDAI | 18.3 (12.7) | 8 (7.8)*** | 5.9 (4.2)*** |
| mHAQ-DI | 0.9 (0.8) | 0.7 (0.8)*** | 0.6 (0.7)*** |
| Glucocorticoids dose (mg/dL) | 4.3 (3.4) | 3.5 (2.5)** | 2.9 (2.4)*** |
| Glucocorticoids, n (%) | 79 (70.5) | 72 (64.3) | 67 (59.8)** |
| csDMARDs, n (%) | 97 (86.5) | 94 (83.9) | 91 (81.3) |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 126.7 (16.8) | 124.3 (17.3) | 124.9 (18.2) |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 78.8 (9.4) | 77.6 (9.6) | 78.2 (10.7) |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 197.3 (38.2) | 205.8 (37.3)** | 201 (34.6) |
| HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) | 60.1 (16.9) | 62.9 (15.9) | 61.8 (15.5) |
| LDL cholesterol (mg/dL) | 114.2 (32.4) | 121.1 (31.9)** | 117.5 (29.3) |
| Total cholesterol to HDL ratio | 3.4 (1.1) | 3.4 (0.9) | 3.4 (0.9) |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 112.3 (78.2) | 111.1 (61.5) | 109.1 (53.7) |
| CRP (mg/L) | 12.8 (17.1) | 6.6 (10.5)*** | 6.2 (8.5)*** |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 25.6 (5.4) | 26 (4.9) | 25.6 (4.9) |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 6 (5.4) | 7 (6.3) | 7 (6.3) |
| Hyperlipidaemia, n (%) | 45 (40.2) | 70 (62.5)*** | 66 (58.9)** |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 31 (27.7) | 32 (28.6) | 32 (28.6) |
| Hypertension therapy, n (%) | 26 (23.2) | 29 (25.9) | 30 (26.8) |
| Smoker, n (%) | 31 (27.7) | 31 (27.7) | 31 (27.7) |
| Ex-smokers, n (%) | 3 (2.7) | 3 (2.7) | 3 (2.7) |
| ‘Progetto Cuore’ (n=112) | 6.9 (11.3) | 6.7 (11.1) | 7 (11.9) |
| SCORE-ESC (n=112) | 3.8 (3) | 3.5 (2.6) | 3.7 (2.9) |
| QRISK3-2018 (n=112) | 10.8 (11.3) | 10.3 (10.8) | 10.4 (11.4) |
| RRS (n=105) | 6.9 (8.8) | 6 (6.9) | 5.8 (6.9)** |
| ERS-RA (n=112) | 10.8 (11.9) | 9.8 (10.9)** | 9.6 (10.5)*** |
Values are expressed as mean (SD) unless otherwise indicated.
Seven patients with diabetes were excluded in the calculation of RRS as diabetes was an exclusion criterion. ‘Progetto Cuore’, RRS and SCORE have been multiplied by 1.5, in accordance with the EULAR Recommendations.
*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001 vs baseline.
BMI, body mass index; CDAI, Clinical Disease Activity Index; CRP, C reactive protein; csDMARDs, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; ERS-RA, Expanded Risk Score in Rheumatoid Arthritis; ESC, European Society of Cardiology; EULAR, European League Against Rheumatism; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; mHAQ-DI, modified Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index; RRS, Reynolds Risk Score; SCORE, Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation.