CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS, LIPID AND INFLAMMATORY PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS UNDERGOING CARDIOLOGICAL EVALUATION Hermes Toros Xavier

Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease. Studies over the past two decades suggest that statins have a beneficial impact on complications associated with RA. In this work, we aimed to investigate the characteristics of the lipid and inflammatory profile of patients diagnosed with RA, evaluating disease activity indices, use of specific drugs, including the use of statins. We carried out an observational study, consecutively evaluating adult patients of both sexes, diagnosed with RA and undergoing regular treatment with rheumatologists, referred for elective cardiological evaluation. Demographic and clinical data on RA were collected – time since diagnosis, disease activity and medications in use, and laboratory data – lipid and inflammatory profile; all variables were analyzed descriptively. 102 adult patients participated, mean age 58.5 years, 91.2% women, mean time since RA diagnosis was 12 years. Dyslipidemia was observed in 51% of patients in the sample and only 16.7% of patients were using statins. The inflammatory profile showed CRP <5 in 75.5% and >5 in 24.5%; ESR <20 in 35.3% and >20 in 64.7%; LATEX <20 in 28.4% and >20 in 71.6% of the sample. Metrotexate (MTX) was prescribed to 78.4% of patients. The average level of RA activity – DAS.28(4) was 3.6; low activity (<3.2) was observed in 43.5%; high activity (>5.1) in 20.5%; and remission (<2.6) in 26.4% of patients. In this cross-sectional analysis, we were able to observe that in patients with RA and regular treatment, lipid and inflammatory profiles could be optimized and statins, as well established in the literature, would be an option of choice for this purpose and for the prevention of CV disease , whose prevalence in this group of patients is high.