Since our results showed that the activation of ERK1/2 is linked to the expression of ER-α in RBCs from RA patients, the kinase phosphorylation could induce the upregulation of survivin increasing the risk of premature cardiovascular-related complications, such as heart failure, which characterizes RA disease (Kaplan, 2010; Zennadi et al., 2012). This evidence concerns the gene BIRC5 and rheumatoid arthritis.