Possibilities of digital radiography in the coronary arteries calcification diagnosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

AIM. To assess coronary calcification nature in patients with rheumatoid arthritis using digital radiography.METHODS. Chest and distal upper extremities X-ray examination results of the 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were retrospectively analyzed. The patients mean age was 54.3±7.8 years, mean disease duration - 8.34±0.3 years. The correlation closeness assessment of qualitative features in the observed group was performed by Pearson correlation coefficient.RESULTS. When performing distal upper extremities X-ray examination, in 9 (15.0±4.6%) patients stage I, in 16 (26.7±5.7%) - II, in 21 (35.0±6.2 %) - III, in 14 (23.3±5.5%) patients - stage IV rheumatoid arthritis was found. In 19 (31.7±6.0%) patients coronary calcifications were visualized in the anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery, in 14 (23.3±5.5%) patients - in the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery, in 10 (16.7±4.8%) - in the right coronary artery, in 10 (16.7±4.8%) patients - the main trunk of the left coronary artery. In 7 (11.7±4.1%) patients aortic arch calcifications were found. It was found that the coronary calcifications incidence was higher in more prolonged disease course. Correlation relationship between coronary calcifications and rheumatoid arthritis stage was determined: in 7 (77.8±4.1%) patients with stage I, 14 (87.5±4.8%) patients with stage II and in all patients with stage III and IV coronary and aortic calcifications of various nature were identified. The coronary calcification incidence and prevalence had a direct correlation with the patient’s age: in most cases (66.7±10.3%) patients aged 55-60 years had multivessel calcification (≥3).CONCLUSION. There is a close correlation relationship between coronary calcifications and rheumatoid arthritis stages; coronary calcification incidence and prevalence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis depends on age, as well as the disease duration and stage, which is particularly important in the treatment strategy determination.