Brachial - ankle pulse wave velocity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA); and find out the relationship between baPWV and risk factors, disease-related factors, some echocardiographic indicators. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 47 patients with RA who were admitted to the Hue University Hospital Department of Cardiology. A control group that included 34 patients without RA who agreed to participate in the investigation was enrolled. Results. The average baPWV of the RA group was 1736.6±436.8 cm/s and was higher than that of the control group (1275.8±224.2 cm/s), p<0.001. There were moderate correlations between baPWV and the SCORE index (r=0.583, p<0.001). With the same risk factors such as age, gender, obesity, hypertension, and smoking, the baPWV of the RA group was higher than the control group. There were moderate correlations between baPWV and velocity A (r=0.562, p<0.001), E/e’ ratio (r=0.394, p=0.006), E/A ratio (r= -0.449, p=0.002), septal e’(r = -0.488, p<0.001), lateral e’(r= -0.397, p= 0.006). Conclusion. RA is associated with increased arterial stiffness compared to subjects without RA.

Keywords

• pulse wave velocity
• rheumatoid arthritis