24 Jul 2023 • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are at a higher risk of developing heart failure (HF) and HF-associated mortality compared to those without RA. HF is often preceded by left ventricular (LV) remodeling, a subclinical change in the heart's structure, in the general population. However, there is a lack of prospective studies following RA patients from pre-clinical to clinical HF and studying LV remodeling in RA without clinical HF.

• In this study, 158 RA patients without clinical HF underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) at baseline and were followed up between 4 and 6 years.
• The researchers also assessed RA disease activity and cardiovascular risk factors. They found that LV remodeling was present in 40% of patients at baseline and increased to 60% over time. Higher levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), an inflammatory marker, were associated with concentric LV remodeling during the follow-up period.
• Additionally, the use of tocilizumab, a medication that inhibits IL-6, was significantly associated with baseline LV remodeling.

These findings suggest that IL-6 may serve as a biomarker for LV remodeling in RA patients without clinical HF. The researchers suggest further research should focus on prospective follow-up of LV remodeling and the effects of IL-6 inhibition on LV remodeling in RA patients. This could potentially shed light on early cardiac changes and offer insights into new strategies for managing cardiovascular risk in RA.

Source: Arthritis Research & Therapy | Read full story