Figure 1.

Brachial dilatation of 20 patients with early RA and matched controls, and of 31 patients with early RA at baseline and one year. Flow-mediated and GTN-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery was measured using ultrasound as described in the methods. Results presented as mean ± standard deviation. Flow mediated vasodilatation, 100 × (post-hyperaemic diameter-basal diameter)/basal diameter, GTN-mediated dilatation, 100 × (post-GTN diameter-basal diameter)/basal diameter. (a) RA patients are compared with healthy controls matched for age, sex and CV risk factors. (b) RA patients are compared at baseline and after one year of treatment with anti-rheumatic drugs. FMD = flow-mediated dilatation; GMD = GTN-mediated dilatation; GTN = glyceryl trinitrate; RA = rheumatoid arthritis.