CD4 and atherosclerosis: Intriguingly, patients with RA exhibit expansion of the Th1-CD4+CD28null cell population in the peripheral blood, which correlates with higher frequency of extraarticular manifestations, increased carotid IMT, and decreased FMD% values, supporting the concept that CD4+CD28null cells may sustain synovial inflammation and promote atherosclerosis in these patients [35], as they have been implicated in atherosclerotic plaque disruption [36] and in all phases of atherosclerotic process [37].