NPPB and rheumatoid arthritis: Likewise, a systematic review and meta-analysis in rheumatoid arthritis patients demonstrated that A systematic review and meta-analysis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients demonstrated that biomarkers such as rheumatoid factor (RF), when compared to cardiac biomarkers like high-sensitivity troponin (hsTn) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), effectively predicted subsequent cardiovascular events by reflecting underlying inflammation and myocardial injury.