Contrary to what might be expected, in patients with elevated CRP due to chronic disease activity in RA, IMT and PWV, structural measures of early atherosclerosis/arteriosclerosis, were not related to CRP and, intriguingly, the reverse association was found for FMD: higher CRP levels correlated with higher FMD i.e. higher levels of CRP were associated with better, not worse, endothelial function. The gene discussed is CRP; the disease is arteriosclerosis.