INTRODUCTION: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with heightened cardiovascular disease and increased susceptibility to osteoporosis, with shared underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the association between vascular function and bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 49 patients with RA at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. Endothelial function was measured as reactive hyperaemia index (RHI)-endothelial peripheral arterial tonometry and aortic stiffness as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) using SphygmoCor. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associations between BMD and vascular function. We used natural logarithm RHI (lnRHI) and cf-PWV as response variables, and each BMD as covariate, adjusting for body mass index, positive anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, cumulative prednisolone dose, hydroxychloroquine use and Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2. RESULTS: We recruited 49 patients (mean age 61.08 ± 8.20 years), of whom 44 (89.80%) were women and 39 (81.25%) were Chinese. Significant associations were found between lnRHI and BMD at the lumbar spine (β = 0.4289, P = 0.037) and total hip (β = 0.7544, P = 0.014) in univariable analyses. Multivariable analyses confirmed these associations, showing that lower BMD at the lumbar spine (β = 0.7303, P = 0.001), femoral neck (β = 0.8694, P = 0.030) and total hip (β = 0.8909, P = 0.010) were significantly associated with worse lnRHI. No significant associations were found between BMD and cf-PWV. CONCLUSION Lower BMD is associated with endothelial dysfunction, but not aortic stiffness in patients with RA. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these associations and understand the underlying mechanisms.
Humans ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/complications* ; Female ; Male ; Bone Density ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Vascular Stiffness ; Aged ; Singapore ; Pulse Wave Analysis ; Osteoporosis/complications* ; Endothelium, Vascular/physiopathology* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/complications* ; Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity ; Hyperemia

Introduction: Recent researches have determined that decreased arterial elasticity by age is one of the Cardiovascular risk factors. The modification of arterial elasticity can be evaluated accurately by measuring PWV.\r\n', u'Objectives: To determine the age - related change in the arterial stiffness in healthy people and factors that change the arterial stiffness. \r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The study group consisted of 123 normotensive subjects, including 65 men and 58 women (mean age 51.2 \xb1 13.9 years). Aortic elasticity was assessed by measuring carotid - femoral pulse PWV using a Complior Colson device with 2 pressure transducers.\r\n', u'Results: The mean PWV in both gender groups was 10.2 \xb1 1.6 m/s. There was no significant difference in both the right and the left side of the body, as well as genders regarding PWV calculation. PWV was correlated with age (r = 0.56) and mean blood pressure index (r = 0.6). If PWV was measured on the left side, subjects with plaques in common carotid artery (proved by echo) had a higher PWV than those without carotid plaque presence. In returns, there was no significant difference in terms of PWV, if it was measured on the right side. The arterial PWV in normal subjects with CT/HDL index of more than 5 is higher than those with CT/HDL index of less than 5. There was no correlation between arterial PWV and hyper - cholesterolemia. \r\n', u'Conclusions: 1. Mean arterial PWV in the healthy subjects was. 10.2 \xb1 1.6 m/s. 2. Arterial PWV had a positive correlation with age, mean blood pressure index and CT/HDL index.\r\n', u'
Arterial stiffness ; Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV)