Study results show that rheumatoid arthritis patients are three times more likely to have carotid atherosclerosis than people without rheumatoid arthritis. Study participants included 98 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 98 patients without the disease.

Researchers found that 44 percent of the rheumatoid arthritis group had carotid atherosclerotic plaque compared to 15% of the non-rheumatoid arthritis group. Even after considering age, cholesterol levels, smoking status, and hypertension, the rheumatoid arthritis group still had triple risk of carotid atherosclerotic plaque.

Within the rheumatoid arthritis group, atherosclerosis was related to age, blood pressure, and use of TNF blockers. It was concluded from the study, which appears in the Annals of Internal Medicine, that the connection to the use of TNF blockers may be an indication of disease severity rather than the medication itself.

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