C-reactive protein and 10-year cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives: To evaluate the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and 10-year risk of cardiovascular (CV) events using the Expanded Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Score for Rheumatoid Arthritis (ERS-RA), based on conventional and RA-specific risk factors but not CRP, in RA patients without previous cardiovascular events.

Methods: ERS-RA was calculated in 1,251 “Cardiovascular Obesity and Rheumatic Disease Study (CORDIS)” database patients [(age 60.4(9.3) years; 78% female; disease duration, 11.6(8) years; CDAI, 9(9); CRP, 6.8(12) mg/L]. Results: The mean (SD) 10-year risk of CV events was 12.9% (10). After adjusting for the use of DMARDs and biologics, CRP concentrations were significantly associated with 10-year risk of CV events (coefficient=0.005 for each 10 mg/L CRP increment; 95%CI 0.000–0.111; p = 0.047). In mediation analysis, the association between CRP and ERS-RA was not explained by disease activity.

Conclusion: In a large cohort of RA patients without previous cardiovascular events, a 20 mg/L increase in CRP concentrations was associated with a 1% increase in 10-year risk of CV events. This suggests that actively targeting residual inflammatory risk beyond conventional and RA-specific risk factors might further reduce CV event rates in RA patients.