Uric acid is independent cardiovascular risk factor, as manifested by increased carotid intima-media thickness in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and morbidity, due to the combined effects of traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors (CV). A serum uric acid (SUA) level has been suggested as one of the non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Cardiovascular risk can be assessed by looking at the subclinical atherosclerosis such as ultrasound (US)-measured carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). This paper aimed to determine the role of SUA as a cardiovascular risk factor, along with the traditional cardiovascular risk factors and inflammation, among RA population. RA patients with no clinically evident CV or renal disease were studied. cIMT US, SUA, traditional cardiovascular, and inflammatory markers were obtained and correlated with cIMT. Among 53 RA patients (5 males, 48 females, mean age 48 ± 14 years), univariate linear-regression showed a positive linear relationship between cIMT and age (p < 0.001), age at RA symptoms onset and diagnosis (p = 0.010 and 0.003, respectively), number of cigarettes/day (p < 0.001), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.005 and 0.030, respectively), and SUA (p = 0.007). Rheumatoid factor positivity and level were associated with thicker cIMT (p = 0.042 and 0.039, respectively). SUA maintained a significant correlation with cIMT in the multivariate analysis together with age, low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride level. The model explained 55% (R2 55) of the causes of thick cIMT among RA population. SUA seems to be a cardiovascular risk factor in RA, as manifested by increase in the cIMT.

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular comorbidities in hemodialysis patients from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries enrolled in the dialysis outcome and practice pattern study phase 5 (2012-2015).

To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities and their active risk factors in the selected hemodialysis centers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Dialysis Outcome and Practice Pattern Study (DOPPS) was performed on 40 dialysis centers in the six GCC countries from June 2012 to May 2015. There were 21 dialysis centers from Saudi Arabia, nine from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), four from Kuwait, four from Oman, two from Qatar, and one from Bahrain. There were 922 patients participating in the study; 419 patients from Saudi Arabia, 144 from the UAE, 164 from Kuwait, 89 from Oman, 58 from Qatar, and 25 from Bahrain. Baseline data and laboratory investigations were obtained from every study patient, and the patients with any new events, change of dialysis prescription, or death were reported to the DOPPS main center during follow-up. The median age of the patients in the GCC centers was 55 years (range 32- 80 years), and the median percentage of males was 57%. The most common cause of chronic kidney disease among the study patients was diabetes mellitus (median: 43%) followed by hypertension (median: 29%) and glomerulonephritis (median: 9%). Hypertension (median 90%) and diabetes mellitus (median 52%) were the most common predisposing comorbidities to cardiovascular events in the study patients. The median ratios of patients with coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and congestive heart failure were 34%, 23%, and 24%, respectively. The median ratio for cerebrovascular comorbidities was 9%. The median prevalence of the factors that may predispose to the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular comorbidities such as gender of the patients, adequacy of dialysis, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, levels of anemia, parathormone levels, and calcium and phosphorus levels in the GCC countries were comparable with those in the previous DOPPS in other countries.