Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Rheumatoid Arthritis, including details on treatment, symptoms, causes, medication.

What effects might anti-TNFalpha treatment be expected to have on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in rheumatoid arthritis? A review of the role of TNFalpha in cardiovascular pathophysiology.

Dixon WG, Symmons DP

ARC Epidemiology Unit, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease which cannot be explained by an increased prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors alone. Atherosclerosis is now being viewed as an inflammatory condition and the cumulative inflammation experienced in RA may contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis. It has been hypothesised that treatment with anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha in RA may reduce both intra-articular inflammation and the inflammation associated with atherosclerosis. Thus, TNFalpha blockade may reduce the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with RA. This review examines the pathophysiological role of TNFalpha in atherosclerosis and the evidence to date that anti-TNFalpha treatment modifies this process in RA.

Published 13 August 2007 in Ann Rheum Dis, 66(9): 1132-6.
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