الفهرس 
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Abstract
RA is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory disease. The increased morbidity and mortality in RA is mainly due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), mostly accelerated atherosclerosis, and there is evidence that this occurs early in the inflammatory disease process.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the vascular complications of rheumatoid arthritis in the terms of carotid and femoral atherosclerosis and to explore the association between vascular complications and the clinical and laboratory parameters of RA.
To accomplish this target, forty patients with RA and twenty age and sex matched healthy controls were included in this study. RA patients were diagnosed according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification (ACR/EULAR) criteria.
All the patients were subjected to the following:
- Full history taking.
- Thorough clinical examination.
- plain X-ray to both hands and wrists.
- Laboratory investigations:
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
Rheumatoid factor.
Anti CCP antibodies titer.
C-reactive protein (CRP).
Blood glucose level.
Lipid profile including total cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and triglyceride.
- doppler ultrasound:
on carotid & femoral arteries was performed for all patients & controls
The findings of this study were as follow:
• There were insignificant statistical differences between the studied groups as regard BMI.
• RA patients showed a significantly higher total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides and significantly lower HDL when compared with controls.
• The present study demonstrated that c-IMT and f-IMT were significantly higher in RA patients than in control group.
• This study showed a significant correlation between HDL and both c-IMT (p = 0.014) & f-IMT (p = 0.04).
• A non significant correlation was found between serum LDL cholesterol & f-IMT (p = 0.085) and this means that f-IMT is less affected by traditional risk factors.
• A statistically significant correlation was demonstrated between BMI and c-IMT (p= 0.005) and insignificant correlation with f-IMT (p = 0.35) was found.
• The present study demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between DAS-28 and both of c-IMT and f-IMT in RA patients.
• We found a statistically significant correlation between HAQ and c-IMT (p = 0.048) and insignificant correlation with f-IMT (p = 0.89) and this emphasize the fact that f-IMT is less affected by traditional risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.