What are the differences in atherosclerotic coronary heart disease between subjects with and without rheumatoid arthritis?
Aubry et al. (2007) conducted a study to compare the differences in atherosclerotic coronary heart disease between subjects with and without rheumatoid arthritis. The results showed that subjects with rheumatoid arthritis had a significantly higher risk of coronary heart disease than those without rheumatoid arthritis. There were also significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and cholesterol among the rheumatoid arthritis group compared to the control group. These findings suggest that rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of atherosclerotic coronary heart disease and that this risk is mediated by traditional risk factors such as inflammation and lipid profiles.