Reduced progression of carotid intima media thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: 1-year results of the Francis study

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is recognized as an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Guidelines for cardiovascular risk (CVR) management, advise aggressive treatment in RA. Tight treatment for CVR factors in RA is not standard care and there are no prospective data. The aim of the study is to investigate the efficacy of CVR intervention in RA patients participating in the FRANCIS study. FRANCIS is a prospective, randomized, single centre study in RA, initiated before the guidelines advocating CVR treatment in RA patients became available.