Key clinical point: Higher baseline levels of immunoglobulin M (IgM) anti-phosphorylcholine (anti-PC) autoantibodies in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed benefits in the reduction of cardiovascular risk in younger patients, men, and those at risk for cardiovascular event.
Major finding: Baseline IgM anti-PC autoantibody level above vs below median was associated with lower risk of cardiovascular outcome in patients below 55 years of age at inclusion (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.360; P = .032), male patients (aHR, 0.558; P = .034), those with a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m 2 (aHR, 0.235; P = .026), and those who did not achieve Disease Activity Score for 28 joints remission at 1 year (aHR, 0.592; P = .021).
Study details: Findings are from an analysis of 653 patients with early RA without prevalent cardiovascular disease from the prospective, observational BARFOT cohort.
Disclosures: The Swedish Rheumatism Association, the King Gustav V 80 year’s Foundation, and the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation funded this research. J Frostegård declared being a registered patent holder for anti-PC.
Source: Ajeganova S et al. Arthritis Res Ther. 2021 Jul 27. doi: 10.1186/s13075-021-02581-0 .