A relationship between QT interval and cardiovascular risk factors in women with rheumatoid arthritis
Objective: to study a relationship of QT interval to cardiovascular risk factors in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Subjects and methods. 291 female patients aged less than 60 years with a valid diagnosis of RA were examined. A control group consisted of 125 women without rheumatic diseases. In addition to the clinical manifestations, acidity, and severity of RA, the authors assessed tradi-tional risk factors (TRF) of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), performed Holter ECG monitoring, common carotid artery duplex scanning, transthoracic echocardiographic study, and determined the levels of serum inflammatory markers. Results. The patients with RA differ from the control group in a longer adjusted QT interval, corrected for TRF of CVD. The major factors associated with a daily prolonged QTc interval in the women with RA are arterial hypertension, systolic, diastolic, pulse blood pressure level s, body mass index, subclinical target organ damage (carotid artery atherosclerosis, left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction, LV hy-pertrophy and remodeling), and the duration of RA. Leflunomide therapy is an additional factor associated with a prolonged nocturnal QT interval. Conclusion. The RA patients with a prolonged QTc interval and no clinical signs of cardiac lesion need meticulous examination aimed to identify CVD.