Carotid artery volumetric measures associate with clinical ten-year cardiovascular (CV) risk scores and individual traditional CV risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis; a carotid-MRI feasibility study

Table 5 Regression analysis of variables associated with carotid wall volume in patients with RA

Variable	Carotid wall volume (ul)
	Univariable analysis (n = 60, unless otherwise stated)			Multivariable analysis^b
	Univariable analysis (n = 60, unless otherwise stated)			R² = 0.250, n = 60
	Correlation coefficient	B (95% CI)	P value	B (95% CI)	P value
Age^a	0.35	1.63 (0.47, 2.79)	0.007	1.13 (0.32, 1.93)	0.007
Male gender^a	0.25	24.49 (0.01, 48.98)	0.050	15.99 (−10.62, 42.60)	0.234
Systolic blood pressure	0.13	0.28 (−0.29, 0.85)	0.329	–	–
Ever smoked	0.33	29.71 (7.26, 52.16)	0.010	19.43 (−1.48, 40.34)	0.068
Body mass index	−0.09	−1.16 (−4.66, 2.34)	0.508	–	–
Waist/hip circumference	0.18	100.40 (−43.20, 244.001) (n = 58)	0.167	–	–
TC/HDL-C	−0.07	−2.92 (−14.74, 8.90) (n = 57)	0.622	–	–
HOMA-IR	0.09	1.66 (−0.61, 3.93)^b (n = 56)^c	0.523	–	–
NT-proBNP	−0.09	−0.08 (− 0.33, 0.16) (n = 56)	0.499	–	–
RA disease duration	0.31	1.36 (0.25, 2.46)	0.017	0.78 (−0.24, 1.79)	0.131
3-variable DAS28	−0.021	−0.75 (− 10.07, 8.57)	0.872	–	–
ACPA	0077	8.58 (−21.004, 38.18) (n = 59)	0.564	–	–
HAQ-DI	0.07	3.78 (− 11.98, 19.54) (n = 57)	0.633	–	–
History of joint surgery	−0.02	−1.76 (−27.45, 23.94)	0.892	–	–
Current use of biological DMARD	−0.02	−1.582 (−25.84, 23.79)	0.905	–	–

ACPA anti-citrullinated peptide antibody, CI confidence intervals, CRP C-reactive protein, DAS28 28-joint disease activity score, DMARD disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, HAQ-DI Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index, HOMA-IR homeostasis model of assessment of insulin resistance, MWT mean wall thickness, NT-proBNP N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, TC/HDL-C total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio
^aVariable entered into linear regression model as associated with carotid wall volume in the literature
^bHeteroskedasticity of residuals therefore robust standard errors employed to compensate
^cExcluding high outlier: correlation coefficient − 0.07 B (95% CI) − 3.82 (− 15.45, 7.82) p = 0.513

ISSN: 1478-6362