View article

Objective. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associates with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality that is due to both traditional and novel cardiovascular risk factors. Hypertension (HT), one of the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease, is highly prevalent in RA. The effects of long-term glucocorticoid (GC) therapy on blood pressure have not been established yet. This study examined whether GC exposure associates with HT in patients with RA.

Methods. Four hundred consecutive RA patients with detailed clinical and laboratory assessments were categorized into three groups according to GC exposure: no or limited exposure (N/L-E); a low-dose (<7.5 mg) long-term exposure (LD/LT-E); and medium-dose (≥7.5 mg) long-term exposure (MD/LT-E). The association of GC exposure with HT was evaluated using logistic regression analysis.

Results. HT was more …