Treating rheumatoid arthritis may lower cholesterol

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Treating rheumatoid arthritis may lower cholesterol

Sep 30 (Reuters Health) - Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are treated

successfully for their illness also see a reduction in their cholesterol

levels, which could reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, Korean

researchers report.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which the body's

own immune system attacks the tissue lining the joints. It can also damage

other parts of the body, such as the heart, lungs and kidneys.

Patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis tend to have low levels

of HDL, or " good, " cholesterol, and high levels of LDL or " bad " cholesterol,

which is known as an " adverse lipid profile " and can increase heart disease

risk.

" Several studies have reported an increased risk of cardiovascular disease

among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, " according to one of the study's

lead researchers, Dr. Yong-Beom Park of Yonsei University College of

Medicine in Seoul, and colleagues. The inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis

may be responsible for this increased risk, and could also be behind their

adverse lipid profiles.

To investigate, the Korean team studied whether treating inflammation in

rheumatoid arthritis patients would improve their lipid profiles, which

could in turn reduce their heart disease risk.

The researchers enrolled 37 woman and 5 men aged 22 to 69. All had recently

been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and none had been treated; all

also had similar adverse lipid profiles. The patients were followed for a

year, during which they were all given the same anti- rheumatic treatment

and no lipid-lowering drugs.

Sixty- four percent of the patients responded positively to the treatment,

and showed reduced inflammation. These patients also had improved lipid

profiles: levels of " bad " cholesterol declined as levels of " good "

cholesterol rose. This improvement was substantially greater among the

responders than among those who did not respond to the treatment.

The results of the study suggest that lipid profiles can be improved by

treating rheumatoid arthritis without the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs,

the researchers say.

" The proper treatment of rheumatoid arthritis inflammation is essential, not

only to help control the arthritis, but also to lower the significant risk

of cardiovascular disease " Park told Reuters Health in an interview.

It is not clear why inflammation and lipid levels might be linked in

rheumatoid arthritis patients, Park said, but he and his colleagues plan

further studies to investigate possible mechanisms.

SOURCE: American Journal of Medicine 2002;113:188-193.