"Study Links Inflammation to Heart Disease", Atlanta Journal -
Constitution, June 5, 2007,
Link: http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/hatt/605232.html

Men with autoantibody rheumatic factor -- a marker of inflammation
strongly associated with rheumatoid arthritis -- in their blood have a
three-fold increased risk of heart disease, a new study says.

In men, the increased risk associated with rheumatoid factor is
similar to that of well-known heart disease risk factors such as
diabetes (2.5 times) and high blood pressure (4.4 times). Rheumatoid
factor does not increase heart disease risk in women, the researchers
said.

A simple blood test is used to measure rheumatoid factor.

The study authors said their findings add to growing evidence that
inflammation is implicated in atherosclerosis (hardening of the
arteries) and suggest that auto-immune processes -- and rheumatoid
factor in particular -- may play a role in the disease process itself.

They studied 567 men and 589 women born in Hertfordshire, Great
Britain, between 1931 and 1937. The participants were assessed for
history of ischemic heart disease (reduced blood supply to the heart),
rheumatoid factor and traditional risk factors for heart disease.

The researchers also looked at other common auto-antibodies
(antinuclear antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies) but found no
link with ischemic heart disease.

The study findings were published online June 5 in the journal Heart.