While individual markers like ESR, CRP, and IL-6 did not associate with baseline or follow-up composite DD (only CRP was associated with annualized rate of change in E/e′; Supplementary Table 6), measures of RA disease activity that do (DAS28CRP) or do not (CDAI) incorporate CRP were both positively associated with baseline composite DD, as well as with multiple individual baseline parameters of DD (E/e′ and LAVI), even after adjusting for smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and CAC levels, suggesting that inflammation contributes to DD independently of conventional CV risk factors. This evidence concerns the gene CRP and rheumatoid arthritis.