ESR1 and Hypertension: In simple regression analyses, only female gender and rheumatic disease duration were significantly related to RHI change from baseline to 6 months, while age, IA diagnosis, changes in markers of IA activity and severity (CRP, WBC count, ESR, PTX3, MHAQ, PGA, and PtGA) (Table 3), traditional CV risk factors (smoking, hypertension, diabetes, body mass index, established CVD (history of previous myocardial infarctions and presence of angina) and medications (statins, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and calcium antagonists); data not shown) were not.