Introduction. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a polygenic disease associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular (CV) mortality. Recent studies have identified theABOrs579459,PPAP2Brs17114036, andADAMTS7rs3825807 polymorphisms as genetic variants associated with coronary artery disease and thePIK3CGrs17398575 andEDNRArs1878406 polymorphisms as the most significant signals related to the presence of carotid plaque in nonrheumatic Caucasian individuals. Accordingly, we evaluated the potential relationship between these 5 polymorphisms and subclinical atherosclerosis (assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and presence/absence of carotid plaques) and CV disease in RA.Material and Methods. 2140 Spanish RA patients were genotyped for the 5 polymorphisms by TaqMan assays. Subclinical atherosclerosis was evaluated in 620 of these patients by carotid ultrasonography technology.Results. No statistically significant differences were found when each polymorphism was assessed according to cIMT values and presence/absence of carotid plaques in RA, after adjusting the results for potential confounders. Moreover, no significant differences were obtained when RA patients were stratified according to the presence/absence of CV disease after adjusting for potential confounders.Conclusion. Our results do not confirm association betweenABOrs579459,PPAP2Brs17114036,ADAMTS7rs3825807,PIK3CGrs17398575, andEDNRArs1878406 and subclinical atherosclerosis and CV disease in RA.
Fractalkine Receptor/Ligand Genetic Variants and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
