Upon joining the study, an initial assessment will be conducted to confirm eligibility. This includes verifying a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis according to specific criteria and ensuring no history of cardiovascular diseases.

The assessment will also check for moderate to high disease activity and confirm that there have been no changes to your medication in the last four weeks. Age eligibility is between 40 and 70 years.

Baseline measurements will be taken to assess heart function. This involves using a technique called CMR (cardiac magnetic resonance) to measure heart muscle strain in different directions.

These measurements will help understand the starting point of your heart’s function before beginning the treatment.

You will begin taking the medication Jyseleca, which contains the active substance filgotinib. This is provided in the form of 200 mg film-coated tablets.

The medication is taken orally, once daily, for a duration of one year.

Throughout the year, follow-up assessments will be conducted to monitor changes in heart function and overall health.

These assessments will include repeated CMR measurements to compare with baseline data and evaluate the effects of the medication.

At the end of the one-year period, a final evaluation will be conducted. This will involve a comprehensive review of heart function and any changes observed during the study.

The results will be compared with those of healthy volunteers to understand the impact of the treatment on heart health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.