Carotid atherosclerosis in the first five years since rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis: a cross sectional study.

Background: Systemic inflammation, documented before rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis, is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis. We aimed to compare the prevalence of carotid plaque (CP) in RA patients in the first five years since diagnosis and healthy controls, and to determine disease characteristics associated with the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis in RA patients.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study.

Association of soluble cell adhesion molecules and lipid levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and lipid levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with and without carotid plaque (CP).

Methods: Cross-sectional study nested of a RA cohort. RA patients without a previous cardiovascular event or statins' therapy, aged 40-75 years were recruited at an outpatient cardio-rheumatology clinic.

Subclinical systolic dysfunction by speckle tracking echocardiography in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: We aimed to compare the prevalence of subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction in Hispanic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients versus healthy controls.

Material And Methods: This cross-sectional study included 46 SLE patients who fulfilled the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism and American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) classification criteria for SLE and with age ≥ 18 years. For comparison, we included a control group with 46 non-SLE subjects matched by age (±5 years) and gender.