Table 4 Relation of angiopoietin-like protein 4, apolipoprotein C3, and lipoprotein lipase axis to subclinical atherosclerosis in RA patients

Age, years

51 ± 10

61 ± 8

<0.001

7 (6–8), <0.001

Female, n (%)

175 (88)

88 (71)

<0.001

−88 (−126 to –50), <0.001

BMI, kg/m²

28 ± 5

28 ± 5

0.51

2 (−8–5), 0.14

Abdominal circumference, cm

97 ± 14

97 ± 11

0.71

2 (1–3), 0.004

Cardiovascular data

 Current smoker

37 (19)

27 (22)

0.49

4 (−34–42), 0.84

 Obesity

67 (34)

37 (30)

0.47

21 (−10–54), 0.18

 Hypertension

49 (25)

52 (42)

0.001

61 (29–93), <0.001

 Diabetes mellitus

17 (9)

25 (20)

0.003

87 (43–132), <0.001

 Systolic

130 ± 18

138 ± 19

0.001

2 (1–3), <0.001

 Diastolic

81 ± 12

83 ± 11

0.077

1 (0.3), 0.061

Statins, n (%)

46 (23)

57 (46)

<0.001

51 (20–83), 0.002

Lipid profile

Cholesterol, mg/dl

205 ± 37

201 ± 39

0.42

0.2 (−0.2–0.6), 0.24

Triglycerides, mg/dl

138 ± 82

168 ± 93

0.003

0.1 (−0.0–0.3), 0.13

HDL cholesterol, mg/dl

57 ± 15

55 ± 16

0.50

−0.7 (−1.7–0.3), 0.17

LDL cholesterol, mg/dl

121 ± 32

112 ± 35

0.030

0.3 (−0.2–0.7), 0.24

LDL:HDL cholesterol ratio

2.30 ± 0.97

2.18 ± 0.90

0.24

12 (−4–28), 0.14

Non-HDL cholesterol, mg/dl

148 ± 39

146 ± 38

0.61

0.3 (−0.0–0.7), 0.085

Lipoprotein (a), mg/dl

29 (10–87)

38 (14–132)

0.018

0.0 (−0.2–0.2), 0.74

Apolipoprotein A1, mg/dl

170 ± 29

171 ± 30

0.70

0.0 (−0.5–0.5), 0.98

Apolipoprotein B, mg/dl

108 ± 57

104 ± 24

0.51

0.2 (−0.2–0.5), 0.35

Apo B:Apo A ratio

0.65 ± 0.28

0.63 ± 0.17

0.42

36 (−25–97), 0.25

Atherogenic index

3.87 ± 1.38

3.89 ± 1.25

0.92

9 (−3–20), 0.13

Axis

Angiopoietin-like protein 4, ng/ml

143 (85–281)

161 (104–451)

0.15

1.00 (0.99–1.00)

0.14

0.07 (0.03–0.10), <0.001

0.05 (0.02–0.08), <0.001

Apolipoprotein C3, mg/dl

8.3 ± 4.7

9.8 ± 5.9

0.028

1.03 (0.97–1.09)

0.41

2.9 (−0.3–6.2), 0.077

0.4 (−2.6–3.4), 0.78

Lipoprotein lipase, ng/ml

91 (53–149)

108 (76–166)

0.34

0.03 (−0.03–0.09), 0.26

0.01 (−0.04–0.6), 0.73