Potential effect of anti-inflammatory treatment on reducing the cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory polyarthritis with increased mortality largely attributable to cardiovascular disease. There is extensive evidence that patients with RA experience accelerated atherosclerosis, which is considered as the main responsible of this increased cardiovascular burden. Nowadays atherosclerosis is regarded as an inflammatory condition: hence, the cumulative inflammation of RA, with the abundant synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines, contributes directly to the early formation of the atheromatic plaque. It is therefore reasonable to postulate that, by alleviating inflammation, drugs commonly used in RA treatment may ameliorate the cardiovascular profile of these patients. Here we provide an extensive review of the literature, focusing on the effects of the available anti-rheumatic agents on cardiovascular mortality, and morbidity among RA sufferers.

• Authors: Cecilia Chighizola, Tommaso Schioppo, Francesca Ingegnoli, Pier Luigi Meroni
• Journal: Current vascular pharmacology (Curr Vasc Pharmacol) Vol. 10 Issue 5 Pg. 639-46 (Sep 2012) ISSN: 1875-6212 [Electronic] United Arab Emirates
• PMID: 22272912 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Antirheumatic Agents
• Cytokines

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antirheumatic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (complications, drug therapy, mortality)
• Atherosclerosis (complications, drug therapy)
• Cardiovascular Diseases (etiology, mortality, prevention & control)
• Cytokines (metabolism)
• Humans
• Inflammation (complications, drug therapy)
• Plaque, Atherosclerotic (pathology)
• Risk Factors