ESCAPE - RA TRIAL

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中的一个 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目及 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 心血管疾病（CVD）是类风湿关节炎（RA）发病和死亡的主要原因。尽管RA患者的CV相关死亡增加2-4倍，但RA患者中CVD的常规危险因素的患病率并未增加。这表明，疾病本身，可能通过其强烈的炎症过程，是一个重要的，独立的危险因素，心血管疾病。这些研究者假设RA患者的亚临床动脉粥样硬化患病率较高，表现为较高的钙评分、较高的LV功能障碍患病率、收缩和/或舒张功能障碍降低，并且在控制常规危险因素后，炎症标志物升高将导致这种较高的患病率。此外，研究人员假设亚临床动脉粥样硬化的进展率更高，血清炎症标志物将解释这种进展的增强。最后，他们假设具有最高水平的炎症标志物和疾病严重程度/活动性的RA患者将在基线时表现出更高的比率，并且冠状动脉钙和LV功能障碍的进展率更高。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although CV -related deaths are increased 2-4 fold in RA, the prevalence of conventional risk factors for CVD is not increase in RA patients. This suggests that the disease itself, presumably via its intense inflammatory process-is an important, independent risk factor for CVD. These investigators hypothesize that RA patients will have higher prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis as evidenced by higher calcium scores, higher prevalence of LV dysfunction, depressed systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction, and that elevated markers of inflammation will be responsible for this higher prevalence after controlling for conventional risk factors. Furthermore, the investigators hypothesize that there will be a higher rate of progression of subclinical atherosclerosis and serum markers of inflammation will explain the enhanced progression. Finally, they hypothesize that RA patients with the highest levels of inflammatory markers and disease severity/activity will exhibit higher rates at baseline and higher rates of progression in coronary calcium and LV dysfunction.