Introduction:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has an excess mortality rate compared to the general population, primarily due to cardiovascular disease, which accounts for more than 50% of premature deaths in this population. The objective of this study was to determine the cardiovascular (CV) risk of RA patients receiving biologic therapy.

Methodology:

This is an observational, prospective, analytical, cross-sectional study. Patients >18 years of age who met the American Rheumatism Association (ARA) and American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) 2010 criteria for RA and were receiving regular biologic therapy were included. Patients with comprehension deficits, visual or hearing impairments, patients with unilateral or bilateral lower limb amputations, or with walking difficulties, and patients with other systemic autoimmune diseases were excluded. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were explored. CV risk was calculated by the Framingham scores, Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) and modified SCORE (mSCORE).

Results:

A total of 102 patients were included, of whom 92 were female, with a mean age of 48.46 ± 11.21 years, and a disease duration of 12.52 ± 8.59 years. Forty-seven-point three six percent were double seropositive, with a mean disease activity level of 3.08 ± 1.2 using the 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The most frequent cardiovascular risk factor was dyslipidemia, and 68.31% had a recommended level of physical activity. The CV risk of our patients was low. Nine and 11% of patients were at high CV risk based on the Framingham lipid score and body mass index, respectively. The SCORE yielded high and very high-risk figures in 3% and 1%, and applying the risk factor of 1.5 for the mSCORE to patients, these figures were doubled to 6% and 2%, respectively.

Conclusions:

The CV risk of RA patients receiving biologic therapy was low.

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