Myocardial Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Descriptive Study

Exclusion Criteria

• •Known clinical atherosclerotic disease (myocardial infarction, severe obstruction CAD (≥ 1 untreated stenosis (≥ 70% in a major vessel) known by either invasive or noninvasive testing), prior coronary artery intervention, prior coronary artery bypass surgery, cerebrovascular event, peripheral vascular disease).
• •Prednisone \>10mg per day (or equivalent corticosteroid dose per day within last week)
• •Irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia or cardiac conduction abnormality (e.g. atrial fibrillation or flutter, frequent extrasystole, LBBB)
• •Relevant valvular heart disease (\> moderate regurgitation or stenosis of any heart valve)
• •Clinical occurrence of heart failure with or without preserved ejection fraction
• •Impaired imaging quality or other contraindications for myocardial strain imaging
• •Relevant lung disease (including severe COPD with oxygen dependence, fibrosis, symptomatic pleural effusion, oxygen dependence)
• •Sarcoidosis
• •Diabetes mellitus treated with insulin
• •estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \< 40ml/min
• •Known cancer
• •History of any-type of cardiomyopathy (e.g. cardiac amyloidosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,...)
• •Ejection fraction (EF) less than 45%
• •Life expectancy \< 1 year
• •BMI \>40kg/m2
• •Severe claustrophobia
• •Any known allergic reactions to intravenous contrast
• •Inability to receive beta blocker therapy or IV nitrates
• •Pregnant/ Breastfeeding women
• •Vulnerable persons due to Helsinki Declaration
• •Unable to provide informed consent