POS0491 LEFT VENTRICULAR GEOMETRIC ABNORMALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER TITERS OF RHEUMATOID FACTOR AND ANTI-CYCLIC CITRULLINATED PEPTIDE ANTIBODIES IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS
Authors: N. Guajardo-Jauregui, J. R. Azpiri-López, D. Á. Galarza-Delgado, I. J. Colunga-Pedraza, S. Lugo-Perez, A. B. Rodriguez-Romero, A. Cárdenas, O. A. Cepeda-Ayala, H. Azpiri-Diaz
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2021)

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have a higher risk of developing left ventricular (LV) geometric abnormalities which can result in the development of heart failure and cardiac death (1). High titers of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies are associated with a worse cardiovascular (CV) prognosis in RA patients (2). Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the association between RF and anti-CCP antibody titers, and the LV geometric abnormalities detected by a transthoracic echocardiogram. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, and comparative study. Patients aged 40-75 years who fulfilled the 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for RA underwent a transthoracic echocardiogram. Patients with RA and an alteration of LV geometry were matched to RA patients with normal LV geometry, by age, gender, comorbidities, and disease characteristics to eliminate confounders. LV geometry was evaluated with LV mass index and relative wall thickness. A blood sample was taken to measure RF and anti-CCP antibody titers. Distribution was evaluated with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Comparisons were done with Chi square test for qualitative variables and Student’s t test and Mann-Whitney’s U test for quantitative variables. A p -value &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 82 RA patients were included in this study, 41 patients with altered LV geometry and 41 patients with normal LV geometry. Of the 41 patients with LV geometric abnormalities, 37 (90.2%) presented LV concentric remodeling and 4 (9.8%) presented LV concentric hypertrophy. We found no significant differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics between both groups (Table 1). Patients with altered LV geometry showed higher titers of IgA-RF (102.11 U/ml vs 21.70 U/ml, p =0.011) and anti-CCP antibodies (193.04 U/ml vs 18.29 U/ml, p =0.005) (Figure 1). Table 1. Demographic and disease characteristics. RA patients with altered LV geometry (n=41) RA patients with normal LV geometry (n=41) p Age years, mean ± SD 53.12 ± 7.62 52.34 ± 7.74 NS Women, n (%) 39 (95.1) 39 (95.1) NS T2DM, n (%) 7 (17.1) 4 (9.8) NS HTN, n (%) 13 (31.7) 10 (24.4) NS Dyslipidemia, n (%) 9 (22.0) 11 (26.8) NS Active smoking, n (%) 4 (9.8) 3 (7.3) NS Obesity, n (%) 11 (26.8) 14 (34.1) NS BMI kg/m 2 , median (p25-p75) 27.95 (25.33-31.45) 28.42 (25.84-32.00) NS Disease duration years, median (p25-p75) 10.37 (2.72-17.80) 6.40 (3.43-13.29) NS CDAI, median (p25-p75) 14.00 (2.00-22.00) 10.00 (3.00-16.50) NS DAS28-CRP, mean ± SD 3.52 ± 1.42 3.09 ± 1.11 NS Treatment MTX, n (%) 33 (80.5) 34 (82.9) NS Glucocorticoids, n (%) 25 (61.0) 23 (56.1) NS Antihypertensive, n (%) 13 (31.7) 8 (19.5) NS Statins, n (%) 6 (14.6) 4 (9.8) NS RA, rheumatoid arthritis; LV, left ventricular; NS, not significant; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus; HTN, hypertension; BMI, body mass index; CDAI, clinical disease activity index; DAS28, disease activity score using 28 joints; CPR, C-reactive protein; MTX, methotrexate. Conclusion: RA patients with altered LV geometry had higher titers of IgA-RF and anti-CCP antibodies. This suggests an association between antibody titers and CV prognosis in RA patients. Rheumatologists should take these data into account when evaluating CV risk in RA patients, assessing the possibility of performing an echocardiogram for early detection of CV abnormalities and an opportune treatment in this group of patients. References: [1]Myasoedova E, Davis JM, 3rd, Crowson CS, et al. Brief report: rheumatoid arthritis is associated with left ventricular concentric remodeling: results of a population-based cross-sectional study. Arthritis Rheum 2013;65(7):1713-8. doi: 10.1002/art.37949 [2]Geraldino-Pardilla L, Russo C, Sokolove J, et al. Association of anti-citrullinated protein or peptide antibodies with left ventricular structure and function in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford ) 2017;56(4):534-40. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kew436 Acknowledgements: We have no acknowledgements to declare. Disclosure of Interests: None declared