Back to abstracts
Back to abstracts
ABSTRACT
Background
Systemic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) contributes to cardiometabolic impairments. While glucocorticoids (GCs) effectively manage inflammation, their impact on inflammation-induced cardiometabolic dysfunction remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of GCs on cardiometabolic function in a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model.
Method
Male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to control, CIA, GC, and CIA+GC groups (n=9 per group). Arthritis was induced in the CIA and CIA+GC groups using bovine type-II collagen emulsified in incomplete Freund’s adjuvant. Following signs of inflammation, the CIA+GC and GC groups received prednisolone daily for six weeks. Body mass, arthritis scores, cardiac function, left ventricular (LV) collagen accumulation, circulating concentrations of high sensitivity-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and cholesterol were assessed.
Result
CIA+GC rats had lower arthritis scores and hs-CRP levels than CIA rats and higher cholesterol levels than control and GC rats (p<0.01). CIA+GC rats had higher LV collagen area fraction and relative wall thickness than control rats (p<0.05) with impaired diastolic function indicated by reduced lateral e’ and e’/a’ ratio and increased filling pressures (E/e’) (p<0.01). Global longitudinal strain and strain rate were reduced in CIA+GC rats than in control rats (p<0.05). High cholesterol levels were associated with increased relative wall thickness, E/e’ ratio, and GLS and reduced lateral e’, independent of hs-CRP (p<0.05).
Conclusion
While GC treatment reduced inflammation in CIA rats, it did not prevent hypercholesterolaemia, concentric remodelling, cardiac fibrosis, diastolic, and preclinical systolic dysfunction. Elevated cholesterol was independently linked to cardiac alterations, suggesting it drives these adverse changes.