Results Following infliximab infusion, a rapid increase in the percentage of endothelial‐dependent vasodilatation was found in all patients (mean ± SD 9.4 ± 5.5% 2 days postinfusion compared with 2.8 ± 2.5% 2 days before infusion). However, values returned to baseline by 4 weeks after infusion. There were no differences in the percentage of endothelial‐independent vasodilatation prior to and after infusion. A decrease in the individual disease activity score for each patient was observed at day 7 postinfusion ( P = 0.02). Seven consecutive patients (5 women and 2 men; age range 25–73 years, median 41 years) that fulfilled the 1987 American College of Rheumatology (formerly American Rheumatism Association) classification criteria for RA ( ) were studied. They were recruited from the outpatient rheumatology clinic of the Hospital Xeral‐Calde, Lugo, in northwest Spain. Because the purpose of this study was to assess endothelial function in long‐term infliximab‐treated RA patients, we set the following inclusion criteria: patients must have been seen by the same rheumatologist (MAG‐G) over a period of 1 month; patients must have been treated with infliximab for at least 1 year; patients must currently be receiving infliximab every 8 weeks; patients must currently be receiving 1 or more disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD); patients must be nonsmokers or had stopped smoking at least 5 years previously.

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Exclusion criteria were as follows: patients with diabetes mellitus and patients who had suffered cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events. Three of the 7 patients were being treated with infliximab 3 mg/kg intravenously every 8 weeks.

The other 4 required 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks because of disease severity. Free download video song balam pichkari jo tune mujhe mari. Besides nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, all had received treatment with low doses of prednisone immediately after disease diagnosis (range 3–13 years, median 5 years). All had started treatment with prednisone 5 mg twice daily. In all patients, treatment with a DMARD was initiated when a diagnosis of RA was made. When endothelial function was evaluated, all patients were being treated with MTX (range 15–25 mg/week). One patient had a history of hypertension. However, appropriate control of her blood pressure was achieved following treatment with angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor therapy.

None of them were being treated with statin lipid‐lowering drugs at the time of the study. None had ever used nitrates or were taking estrogens. Concomitant medication was not changed during the period of study.

All but 1 were positive for rheumatoid factor. Informed consent was obtained from all cases. The local institutional review committee approved the study protocol. Study protocol. Endothelial‐dependent (postischemia) and independent (postnitroglycerin) vasodilatation were measured by brachial ultrasonography.