Rituximab was administered to 55 women with RA and no CVDs, and the following parameters were assessed before and after 6 months of therapy: HDL-C, LDL-C, plasma total cholesterol (TC), serum C-reactive protein, RF IgM, triglycerides, AS (by digital volume pulse contour analysis), DAS 28-ESR and common cIMT (by high-resolution B-mode carotid ultrasound [215]. The gene discussed is CRP; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.