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Albuminuria in RA: No Cardiometabolic Risk Link
Arthritis Care Res; ePub 2017 Mar 3; Sammut, et al
There was no link in the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) group of elevated urine albumin:creatinine (uACR) with measures of atherosclerosis, nor with several key cardiometabolic risk factors, suggesting a lower utility for elevated uACR as an indicator of subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) in RA, according to a recent study. Urine albumin from a spot morning collection was measured and the ratio of uACR calculated for RA and a population-based sample of demographically matched non-RA controls. 196 RA patients were compared with 271 non-RA controls. Researchers found:
- Elevated uACR was found in 18% of the RA patients vs 17% of the controls.
- After adjustment, RA was associated with 67% lower odds of elevated uACR.
- Higher serum creatinine levels and hypertension were both strongly and significantly associated with elevated uACR in the control group, but not in the RA group.
Sammut A, Shea S, Blumenthal RS, et al. Albuminuria in rheumatoid arthritis: Associations with RA characteristics and subclinical atherosclerosis. [Published online ahead of print March 3, 2017]. Arthritis Care Res. doi:10.1002/acr.23234.