Unexpected arterial wall and cellular inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in remission using biological therapy: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: Arthritis research & therapy Vol. 18; no. 1; p. 115
• Main Authors: Bernelot Moens, Sophie J, van der Valk, Fleur M, Strang, Aart C, Kroon, Jeffrey, Smits, Loek P, Kneepkens, Eva L, Verberne, Hein J, van Buul, Jaap D, Nurmohamed, Michael T, Stroes, Erik S G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 21.05.2016; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Aged; Antirheumatic agents; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Aorta - diagnostic imaging; Aorta - pathology; Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - pathology; Care and treatment; Cohort Studies; Complications and side effects; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Flow Cytometry; Health aspects; Humans; Inflammation - pathology; Influence; Male; Middle Aged; Observational studies; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Remission Induction; Rheumatoid arthritis; Tumor necrosis factor; Cardiovascular disease; Inflammation; Imaging; Rheumatoid arthritis

Increasing numbers of patients (up to 40 %) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) achieve remission, yet it remains to be elucidated whether this also normalizes their cardiovascular risk. Short-term treatment with TNF inhibitors lowers arterial wall inflammation, but not to levels of healthy controls. We...