Rheumatoid arthritis: prototype of accelerated atherosclerosis

The rheumatoid arthritis, as other rheumatic chronic inflammatory illnesses, is accompanied by an increased risk of cardio-vascular pathology. The primitive endothelial dysfunction is the principal moment of the primer of the atherosclerosis. This is mediated by various factors, the principals of which result to be genetic factors, the production of inflammatory cytokines, among which particularly the Tumour Necrosis Factor-α, an oxidative-stress, probable viral agents and a reduction of the endothelial ancestor cells. The smoke of cigarette can be a factor of independent risk for the rheumatoid arthritis and for the atherosclerosis.