RESEARCH - Subclinical coronary atherosclerosis increased in RA patients

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Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis Increased in RA Patients

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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Apr 01 - Coronary arterial calcification, a

measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, is increased in patients with

rheumatoid arthritis (RA), researchers report in a March 10th online

publication by Arthritis Research & Therapy.

" Within groups of individuals who have atherosclerosis in the cardiac

arteries, " senior investigator Dr. Joan Bathon told Reuters Health,

" RA patients have more severe disease than folks without RA. This

observation of more silent coronary artery disease is consistent with

the observation that patients with RA have more heart attacks and

cardiovascular-related deaths than folks without RA. "

Dr. Bathon of The s Hopkins Arthritis Center, Baltimore, land

and colleagues used CT scanning to measure coronary arterial

calcification (CAC) in 195 RA patients without clinical cardiovascular

disease. The findings were compared with those of 1073 controls

without RA taking part in an atherosclerosis study.

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Read the entire article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/590493

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