Cardiovascular Risk Higher Among Black Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

According to a study recently published in Medical Sciences, Black people with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have increased rates of cardiovascular risk factors compared to our white counterparts. Cardiovascular risk factors include hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Keep reading to learn how the data compares!

The data from this study, which was collected over 7 years between 2010 and 2017, emphasized the vulnerability of blacks and the need for real risk management.

503 rheumatoid arthritis patients participated in this study. 88.5% of these participants were Black, 29.4% were smokers, and 87.9% were women, all over the age of 18. In an effort to be as accurate as possible, researchers collected physicians’ notes on consultations, inpatient and outpatient records, and records of the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

During the study, researchers examined cardiovascular disease outcomes and risk profiles, features of rheumatoid arthritis disease acuteness, and therapeutic patterns. The results of the participants, who were mostly Black, were compared with that of the mostly white population of the Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA).

The group of participants who were mostly black (Group A) showed higher disease risk factors compared to CORRONA’s white cohort (Group B).

Hypertension

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Group A: 66.6%
Group B: 29%

Dyslipidemia

Group A: 41.3%
Group B: 25%

Smoking

Group A: 29.4%
Group B: 34%

Diabetes

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Group A: 28.5%
Group B: 8%

The study showed 87.4% of participants had at least one unusual risk factor, 37% had at least 3, and risk factors specific to rheumatoid arthritis were present in 58% (having a body mass index less than 20, extra-articular disease, erosion of joints, and higher presence of inflammatory markers for example). Group A also showed increased use of steroids and lower use of biologics.

“[We] observed higher rates of traditional [cardiovascular] risk factors, including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, compared to the White RA cohort. Our population had more aggressive disease with higher rates of seropositivity, joint narrowing/erosions and elevated inflammatory markers. The combination of higher rates of traditional and RA-specific risk factors confers on our patients a high risk for [cardiovascular] events. Our RA population characteristics require therapeutic interventions to address disease control and targeted management of comorbidities that involve revised risk stratification aiming at reducing [cardiovascular] morbidity and mortality in this highly vulnerable population,” the study researchers concluded.

The study is not without limits. The data collected was retrospective in nature. There were also no available measurements for rheumatoid arthritis-specific disease activity parameters, ischemic vs. hemorrhagic stroke, cardiac involvement data, survival outcomes, or therapeutic intervention response.

Reference

McFarlane IM, Zhaz Leon SY, Bhamra MS, et al. Assessment of cardiovascular disease risk and therapeutic patterns among urban black rheumatoid arthritis patients. Med Sci (Basel). 2019; 7(2):31.