[Coronary calcification and subclinical myocardial dysfuncion in rheumatoid arthritis]. / Calcificación coronaria y disfunción miocárdica subclínica en la artritis reumatoide.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by high cardiovascular (CV) mortality, which has been related to systemic inflammation. Our aim was to analyze coronary calcification by computed tomography and subclinical myocardial dysfunction evaluated by brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and an electrocardiogram in RA patients and its relationship with disease characteristics. Seventy-three RA patients and same number of controls formed by osteoarthritis patients were studied, all without a background of cardiovascular clinical events. RA patients had a higher calcium score than the control group (19.2% vs. 11%; p=0.17)), this being associated with disease duration. BNP levels (90.0 vs. 45.4; p=0.003), corrected QT length, large QT frequency and silent myocardial infarct were higher in the RA group. In conclusion, RA patients showed more coronary calcification frequency than in general population and more biochemical and electrocardiogram myocardial subclinical dysfunction signs.