NPPB and rheumatoid arthritis: Patients with active RA, but not those in remission, had significantly increased levels of CV risk markers (circulating concentrations of N-terminal (NT)-probrain natriuretic peptide (BNP), hypertension, total cholesterol, reactive hyperaemia index, measures of arterial stiffness and intima media thickness -IMT) than the control group.90 As the IR is increased in RA patients, independent of obesity, recent studies have examined the association between IR and NT-proBNP in RA.