At the ACR meeting in SanDiego just this year, the University of Manchester’s Arthritis Epidemiology Research Group presented their findings that anti-TNF therapy reduces the risk of heart attack in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Over the past few years, anti-TNF therapy, a new biologic agent, has made a dramatic difference in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers evaluated heart disease in 14,258 patients with rheumatoid arthritis between 2001 and 2008 and found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with anti-TNF therapy had better control of inflammation and a lower incidence of heart disease than patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with conventional drugs, although there was no statistical difference in the severity of heart attacks between the two groups. This is a very significant finding and suggests that the increased incidence of heart attacks that typically occurs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis may be due to the inflammatory response caused by the disease. Dr Willianm Dixon, a senior clinical rheumatologist and consultant emeritus, said at the meeting that based on the findings, rheumatologists can feel more comfortable applying anti-TNF therapy to patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which is not only more effective in improving joint symptoms but also in reducing the incidence of heart attacks. Note: ACR CAmericanCollege of Rheumatology The American College of Rheumatology ACR meeting is held annually and has an important position in the global rheumatology community, where rheumatologists from different countries usually present the latest research results, develop the latest diagnostic criteria for the disease and clarify the latest treatment options.