Background:Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of premature mortality and sudden death in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Conventional CV risk factors and disease specific risk factors are responsible for endothelial dysfunction (ED) in RA. ED is the barometer of CV health and key initial event in atherosclerosis. Tofacitinib, a JAK inhibitor, is in clinical use since 2012 and has had the most extensive development program in RA, but its impact on ED has not yet been explored in humans.Objectives:To investigate the impact of tofacitinib on endothelial dysfunction in RAMethods:40 RA patients fulfilling the 2010 Rheumatoid Arthritis classification criteria with active disease (DAS28>3.2) were randomized to receive 24 weeks of treatment with Tofacitinib (5mg bd, n=20) and placebo (n=20) as an adjunct to existing stable antirheumatic drugs. Primary endpoints included endothelial dysfunction assessed by FMD using Angiodefender and lipids were estimated at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. The secondary end points included: DAS28, ESR, CRP, HAQ-DI and cardiovascular risk using SCORE chart assessed at week 0 and 12.Results:At baseline, endothelial function was impaired and levels of inflammatory measures were elevated in both groups. CV risk SCORE was high and HAQ-DI was impaired at baseline. After treatment, FMD improved significantly in the tofacitinib group from (8.16±1.38% to 10.98±2.33%, p≤0.05) as compared to placebo (7.12±0.25% to 8.04±0.30%, p=0.35) (Fig. 1A). DAS28 (Fig. 1B), ESR and CRP (Fig. 1C) levels improved significantly in tofacitinib group as compared to placebo (p≤0.05). Tofacitinib significantly decreased HAQ-DI and SCORE (Fig. 1D) values as compared to placebo. There was significant increase in HDL (p≤0.05) after treatment with tofacitinib as compared to placebo. After 12 weeks of treatment, FMD and HDL increased by 34.55% and 13.58% respectively where as DAS28, ESR and CRP decreased by 37.40%, 36.10% and 76.59% respectively in the tofacitinib group. Significant negative correlation was observed between FMD and DAS28 (r= -0.50, p≤0.05) and CRP (r= -52, p≤0.05) after treatment with tofacitinib where as no such correlation was found in placebo group.Figure 1.Impact of Tofacitinib on FMD, DAS 28, CRP & SCOREConclusion:First study to show that tofacitinib, apart from its anti inflammatory activity, improves endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular risk in RA. Thus, JAK inhibition with tofacitinib has vasculoprotective and cardioprotective effect mediated through anti-inflammatory and probably other mechanisms. This study would stimulate further research in exploring the vasculoprotective and cardioprotective potential of tofacitinib in RA.References:[1]Tofacitinib reversed endothelial dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis: mechanistic insights from the rat adjuvant-induced arthritis model. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-eular.2747Disclosure of Interests:None declared
Rheumatoid arthritis: influence of inflammation and anti-inflammatory therapy on cardiovascular risk factors