Drugs used to treat initial signs of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can also improve the early stages of heart disease, according to a new study.
Having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is known to at least double the chances of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) because of links to atherosclerosis (a build - up of plaque inside the arteries), heart failure and strokes.
The study, published in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, linked treatment of RA with improvements in vascular stiffness - an indicator of CVD.
"Our research shows that even at the earliest stages of rheumatoid arthritis, there is increased vascular stiffness in people with no or minimal traditional CVD risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol or smoking, " said study author Sven Plein from the University of Leeds in the UK.
For the study, the research team had set out to explore possible connections between the very earliest signs of RA and indicators of CVD.
Detailed MRI heart scans were given to 82 patients with no known heart issues.
The scans revealed the presence of increased vascular stiffness in the aorta, which is a gradual loss of elasticity in the large arteries, compared to healthy people. There was also evidence of cardiac scarring and changes in the wall of the left ventricle (the heart's main pumping chamber), suggesting heart abnormalities had started before the RA diagnosis.
After their initial scans, the 82 patients were given one of two RA drug courses.