Red Yeast Rice and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Inclusion Criteria: * patients with a definite diagnose of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) were included if they met the classification criteria for RA established by the American Rheumatism Association (ACR) and European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) in 2010 * aged from 18 to 75 years * without conflict to the written, informed consent signed prior to the enrollment * no severe hepatic or renal disorders * no known carotid artery stenosis * no coagulation disorders * no hypertension Exclusion Criteria: * being in pregnancy, lactation period or under a pregnancy plan * being allergic to the test drug * not compatible for the trial medication * without full legal capacity