Objective To investigate the correlation between carotid atherosclerosis and inflammatory factors in patients with rheumatoid and its clinical significance. Methods 92 patients with rheumatoid were divided into non- carotid atherosclerosis group (group A 45 cases), and carotid artery (group B 47 cases), while 40 cases of healthy people were selected as a control group ( group C) . Serum levels of TNF- a, IL-17, CRP, IMT and ICAM-1, VCAM-1 were detected. Results Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-17 of patients in A group were significantly higher than those in group C (P< 0.05), Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-17, CRP of of patients in group B were significantly different to group A and group C (P < 0.05). Serum levels of IMT, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 of A group were significantly higher than those in group C (P< 0.05), Serum levels of IMT, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 of group B were significantly higher than those in group A and group C (P<0.05) . Serum levels of TNF-α and IMT, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 showed a significant positive correlation (P<0.05), Serum levels of IL-17 and ICAM-1, VCAM-1 showed significant positive correlation (P< 0.05), Serum levels of CRP and IMT, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 showed no significant correlation (P>0.05). Conclusion Inflammatory cytokines and carotid atherosclerosis are closely related, and synergically promote the incidence of carotid artery atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]