Do anti-TNF treatments change the

cardiovascular risk of people

with RA?

People with RA have an increased cardiovascular risk because of both increased traditional risk factors and the effects of chronic inflammation. Anti-TNF treatments are known to be highly effective at suppressing inflammation, hence the question ‘can they reduce cardiovascular risk?’

A number of rheumatology centres in the UK reviewed the literature to see if it provided the answer. A large amount of work was initially identified and this was narrowed down to 20 relevant studies.  The conclusion reached was that for all kinds of cardiovascular disease there may be a reduced risk connected with taking an anti-TNF treatment, but the picture was complicated by many other factors, for example methotrexate reduces cardiovascular risk and many people taking  anti-TNF treatment are also taking methotrexate.

More work is needed, particularly looking at people on anti-TNF treatment who have not had RA for long.