CV Risks Unchanged by Infliximab Therapy

Infliximab therapy for rheumatoid arthritis improves patients' levels of high-density lipoprotein but does not make them any less vulnerable to cardiovascular disease because it also raises their levels of low-density lipoprotein, according to a new study.

Infliximab therapy had the effect of increasing serum levels of total cholesterol and both HDL and LDL cholesterol, correlating with a decrease of joint inflammation.

But infliximab does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the most common cause of premature death in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Researchers at Cochin Hospital in Paris analyzed the cholesterol levels of 56 consecutive rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing infliximab therapy. The researchers compared their cholesterol levels with those of a group of 56 rheumatoid arthritis patients not receiving infused infliximab and a control population of 56 without rheumatoid arthritis.

The researchers found that because the infliximab therapy did not change the ratio of HDL to LDL or total cholesterol, the cardiovascular risk did not change for the infliximab therapy patients (Clin. Chim. Acta. 2006;365:143–8).

At baseline, both of the rheumatoid arthritis groups had significantly higher atherogenic profiles than the control group, both in their ratio of LDL to HDL and HDL to total cholesterol. They also had significantly higher HDL levels.

After treatment at baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and every 8 weeks thereafter, total cholesterol levels in the study group increased from 5 mmol/L at baseline to 5.9 mmol/L at 6 weeks and 6 mmol/L at 30 weeks.

The mean ratio of LDL to HDL did not change significantly, however—2.6 at baseline, 2.7 at 6 weeks, and 2.5 at 30 weeks.

The mean ratio of total cholesterol to HDL did not change, either: 4.3 at baseline, 4.8 at 6 weeks, and 4.4 at 30 weeks.

The results are a departure from those from classic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, which have been shown to lower patients' atherogenic profiles, coauthor Dr. Didier Borderie said in an interview.

The study results show that “physicians have to be attentive to the lipid profile of their patients and to evaluate the atherogenic ratio of their patients before and regularly during infliximab therapy,” according to Dr. Borderie, of Cochin Hospital.

Infliximab therapy for rheumatoid arthritis improves patients' levels of high-density lipoprotein but does not make them any less vulnerable to cardiovascular disease because it also raises their levels of low-density lipoprotein, according to a new study.

Infliximab therapy had the effect of increasing serum levels of total cholesterol and both HDL and LDL cholesterol, correlating with a decrease of joint inflammation.

But infliximab does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the most common cause of premature death in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Researchers at Cochin Hospital in Paris analyzed the cholesterol levels of 56 consecutive rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing infliximab therapy. The researchers compared their cholesterol levels with those of a group of 56 rheumatoid arthritis patients not receiving infused infliximab and a control population of 56 without rheumatoid arthritis.

The researchers found that because the infliximab therapy did not change the ratio of HDL to LDL or total cholesterol, the cardiovascular risk did not change for the infliximab therapy patients (Clin. Chim. Acta. 2006;365:143–8).

At baseline, both of the rheumatoid arthritis groups had significantly higher atherogenic profiles than the control group, both in their ratio of LDL to HDL and HDL to total cholesterol. They also had significantly higher HDL levels.

After treatment at baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and every 8 weeks thereafter, total cholesterol levels in the study group increased from 5 mmol/L at baseline to 5.9 mmol/L at 6 weeks and 6 mmol/L at 30 weeks.

The mean ratio of LDL to HDL did not change significantly, however—2.6 at baseline, 2.7 at 6 weeks, and 2.5 at 30 weeks.

The mean ratio of total cholesterol to HDL did not change, either: 4.3 at baseline, 4.8 at 6 weeks, and 4.4 at 30 weeks.

The results are a departure from those from classic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, which have been shown to lower patients' atherogenic profiles, coauthor Dr. Didier Borderie said in an interview.

The study results show that “physicians have to be attentive to the lipid profile of their patients and to evaluate the atherogenic ratio of their patients before and regularly during infliximab therapy,” according to Dr. Borderie, of Cochin Hospital.

Infliximab therapy for rheumatoid arthritis improves patients' levels of high-density lipoprotein but does not make them any less vulnerable to cardiovascular disease because it also raises their levels of low-density lipoprotein, according to a new study.

Infliximab therapy had the effect of increasing serum levels of total cholesterol and both HDL and LDL cholesterol, correlating with a decrease of joint inflammation.

But infliximab does not reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the most common cause of premature death in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Researchers at Cochin Hospital in Paris analyzed the cholesterol levels of 56 consecutive rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing infliximab therapy. The researchers compared their cholesterol levels with those of a group of 56 rheumatoid arthritis patients not receiving infused infliximab and a control population of 56 without rheumatoid arthritis.

The researchers found that because the infliximab therapy did not change the ratio of HDL to LDL or total cholesterol, the cardiovascular risk did not change for the infliximab therapy patients (Clin. Chim. Acta. 2006;365:143–8).

At baseline, both of the rheumatoid arthritis groups had significantly higher atherogenic profiles than the control group, both in their ratio of LDL to HDL and HDL to total cholesterol. They also had significantly higher HDL levels.

After treatment at baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and every 8 weeks thereafter, total cholesterol levels in the study group increased from 5 mmol/L at baseline to 5.9 mmol/L at 6 weeks and 6 mmol/L at 30 weeks.

The mean ratio of LDL to HDL did not change significantly, however—2.6 at baseline, 2.7 at 6 weeks, and 2.5 at 30 weeks.

The mean ratio of total cholesterol to HDL did not change, either: 4.3 at baseline, 4.8 at 6 weeks, and 4.4 at 30 weeks.

The results are a departure from those from classic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, which have been shown to lower patients' atherogenic profiles, coauthor Dr. Didier Borderie said in an interview.

The study results show that “physicians have to be attentive to the lipid profile of their patients and to evaluate the atherogenic ratio of their patients before and regularly during infliximab therapy,” according to Dr. Borderie, of Cochin Hospital.