Special features of coronary artery involvement in women with rheumatoid arthritis

Aim of the study was to assess the state of coronary arteries and to reveal peculiarities of their involvement in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We examined 51 women: 30 patients with RA and 21 women of the control group. Average age of patients with RA was 49+/-7.4, of control subjects - 47+/-9 years. Examination of coronary arteries was performed by a 64-spiral computer tomography (LightSpeed VCT, GE). Coronary calcium was assessed using the SmartScore and calcium score by the Agatston scale. Different changes of coronary arteries were diagnosed in 44% of patients with RA and in 19% of subjects of the control group. Coronary atherosclerosis was detected in 34%, calcification of coronary arteries - in 27% of patients with RA. Average degree of coronary artery stenosis in patients with RA was 2.2 times greater than in the control group. In RA prevailed multiple involvement of coronary arteries with large number of atherosclerotic plaques. Hemodynamically significant stenoses were diagnosed only in patients with RA.