Informativity of different diagnostic methods in determining cardiovascular risk in patients of young age with rheumatoid arthritis

Levchenko V.G.¹, Garmish O.O. ², Ikorkin M.R.³

• ¹Державна установа «Національний науковий центр «Інститут кардіології ім. М.Д. Стражеска» НАМН України», Київ
• ²SI «NSC «Institute of Cardiology M.D. Strazhesko» NAMS of Ukraine», Kyiv
• ³Державна установа «ННЦ «Інститут кардіології ім. М.Д. Стражеска» НАМН України», Київ

Summary. The aim of the research was to identify correlation between coronary artery calcification (CAC), intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries, lipid profile and cardiovascular (CVD) risk in identification of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients of young age with rheumatoid arthritis. Investigation of 87 patients with rheumatoid arthritis was made in accordance with protocol. The US of carotid arteries with identification of IMT and its morphology, testing of CAC was held with the help of SmartScore. CVD risk was evaluated according to SCORE and mSCORE. The content of cholesterol total, triglycerides, HDL, VLDL, LDL in blood were identified. The evidence of systemic inflammation was evaluated according to the CRP level in plasma and of intracellular content of MDA. As indicators of oxidant stress activity were defined the content of MDA in plasma and activity of catalase. Atherogenicity of plasma, which depended on the content of modified VLDL and LDL was tested with the help of mouse macrophage culture based on the content of apo-B and apo-A-І in blood. The US of carotid arteries is more sensitive method of identification of subclinical atherosclerosis than identification of the CAC with help CT. The found data are evidence of low practical relevance in application of SCORE and mSCORE for evaluation of CVD risk in patients of young age with rheumatoid arthritis.