Reducing cardiovascular risk with immunomodulators: a randomised active comparator trial among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Recent large-scale randomised trials demonstrate that immunomodulators reduce cardiovascular (CV) events among the general population. However, it is uncertain whether these effects apply to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and if certain treatment strategies in RA reduce CV risk to a greater extent.

Methods

Patients with active RA despite use of methotrexate were randomly assigned to addition of a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor (TNFi) or addition of sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine (triple therapy) for 24 weeks. Baseline and follow-up ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/CT scans were assessed for change in arterial inflammation, an index of CV risk, measured as an arterial target-to-background ratio (TBR) in the carotid arteries and

SUBMITTER: Solomon DH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9933165 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature