Functional and structural vascular biomarkers in women 1 year after a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy.

Objectives: Women with a previous hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP: gestational hypertension and preeclampsia) have increased long-term cardiovascular disease risk. Recent meta-analyses show adverse levels of non-invasive functional and structural cardiovascular risk markers such as pulse wave velocity (PWV), heart-rate adjusted augmentation index (AIx75), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and reactive hyperemia index (RHI) after HDPs, and suggest using these for cardiovascular risk stratification. However, it is not known if a previous HDP predict levels of these markers beyond classical cardiovascular risk factors.

Trends in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with incident rheumatoid arthritis: a 20-year follow-up matched case-cohort study.

Objectives: To examine all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in consecutive cohorts of patients with incident RA, compared with population comparators.

Methods: The Oslo RA register inclusion criteria were diagnosis of RA (1987 ACR criteria) and residency in Oslo. Patients with disease onset 1994-2008 and 10 matched comparators for each case were linked to the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry.

Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Insulin Sensitivity and Insulin Secretion in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes and Vitamin D Deficiency: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: In observational studies, low vitamin D levels are associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D), impaired glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion. We evaluated the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation on insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in subjects with T2D and low vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] <50 nmol/L).

Research Design And Methods: Sixty-two men and women with T2D and vitamin D deficiency participated in a 6-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Glucosepane and oxidative markers in skin collagen correlate with intima media thickness and arterial stiffness in long-term type 1 diabetes.

Aims: To study intima media thickness (cIMT) and arterial stiffness in type 1 diabetes of long duration, and their associations with the collagen cross-linker glucosepane and inflammatory and oxidative markers.

Methods: Twenty-seven individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus of 40 years duration from the Oslo Study cohort and 24 age-matched controls were included. cIMT measurements of the carotid artery were performed longitudinally.

The L-arginine/asymmetric dimethylarginine ratio is improved by anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy in inflammatory arthropathies. Associations with aortic stiffness.

Background: Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α therapy improves vascular pathology in inflammatory arthropathies such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. The l-arginine/ADMA ratio is important for modulation of the nitric oxide synthase activity. We examined the effect of TNF-α antagonists on ADMA and l-arginine/ADMA, and associations between ADMA, L-arginine/ADMA, aortic stiffness and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in patients with inflammatory arthropathies.

Effect of 1-year anti-TNF-α therapy on aortic stiffness, carotid atherosclerosis, and calprotectin in inflammatory arthropathies: a controlled study.

Background: Premature arterial stiffening and atherosclerosis are increased in patients with inflammatory arthropathies such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The proinflammatory protein calprotectin is associated with inflammatory arthropathies, vascular pathology, and acute coronary events. We examined the long-term effects of treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonists on aortic stiffness and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in patients with inflammatory arthropathies, and the relationships to the levels of calprotectin.

Large molecular size EDTA-resistant complexes containing S100A12, ERAC, in serum during inflammatory conditions.

The pro-inflammatory, leukocyte-derived S100A12 protein occurs as calcium-dependent oligomers in serum, while EDTA plasma from the majority of healthy individuals contains only monomers. Addition of 5 mM EDTA to serum leads to a rapid dissociation of the oligomers in most samples. However, using gel permeation chromatography, we have found that sera from some patients and seemingly healthy individuals contain molecular complexes in the 400-1000 kDa range reacting with anti-S100A12 even in the presence of EDTA; for these we introduce the name ERAC (EDTA Resistant S100A12 Complexes).

Remission is the goal for cardiovascular risk management in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional comparative study.

Objectives: To compare markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk between patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in an active disease state and those with RA in remission, and to compare both groups with community controls.

Methods: 113 patients with RA and 86 community controls were assessed across a panel of biomarkers for CVD. RA in remission was defined as Clinical Disease Activity Index ≤2.

Early prediction of increased arterial stiffness in patients with chronic inflammation: a 15-year followup study of 108 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory disease, have increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We investigated whether early markers of RA inflammatory disease activity could predict later increased levels of pulse-wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx), 2 measures of arterial stiffness.

Methods: In total 238 patients with early RA were followed longitudinally and 108 were available for the 15-year followup examination.

Changes in arterial stiffness during continued infliximab treatment in patients with inflammatory arthropathies.

Chronic inflammatory arthropathies such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. TNF-α antagonists may improve vascular function in these patients and thus be beneficial with regard to cardiovascular disease. This study evaluated arterial stiffness and disease activity between two infusions with a TNF-α antagonist (infliximab) in patients with inflammatory arthropathies on long-term infliximab therapy.

NT-proBNP predicts mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from 10-year follow-up of the EURIDISS study.

Objectives: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a higher mortality than the general population, and this increased mortality is related to demographic and disease variables. N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a predictor of mortality both in general and patient populations, but has not been shown to predict mortality in patients with RA. This study examines whether NT-proBNP can further improve the prediction of mortality in RA.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonists improve aortic stiffness in patients with inflammatory arthropathies: a controlled study.

The chronic inflammatory state of rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthropathies, such as ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, contributes to the accelerated atherosclerosis associated with these conditions. This study evaluates the effect of treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha antagonists on arterial stiffness in patients with inflammatory arthropathies. A total of 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or psoriatic arthritis and clinical indication for anti-TNF-alpha therapy were included.

The association between disease activity and NT-proBNP in 238 patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a 10-year longitudinal study.

Introduction: Disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, of which N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a predictor. Our objective was to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between markers of inflammation, measures of RA disease activity, medication used in the treatment of RA, and NT-proBNP levels (dependent variable).

Methods: Two hundred thirty-eight patients with RA of less than 4 years in duration were followed longitudinally with three comprehensive assessments of clinical and radiographic data over a 10-year period.