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Patients with rheumatoid arthritis
June 14, 2001Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are 60% more likely to die and 30-50% more likely to suffer an acute blockage of the major blood vessels compared with individuals with no arthritis, US researchers said today.
Speaking at the Press Conference during EULAR 2001, the prestigious annual congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), Dr Douglas Watson presented new data from a study of 2.4 million patients The aim of the study, carried out by Dr Watson and his colleagues at the Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, USA, was to compare data on mortality in patients with RA with that from patients with osteoarthritis (OA). The researchers also analysed and compared the incidence of non-fatal and fatal heart disease in patients with RA to those with OA and people with no arthritis.
"Our results indicate that patients with RA are at increased risk for heart disease compared with those of the same age and gender with OA and also people with no arthritis. RA patients were 70% more likely to die and 30-40% more likely to suffer an acute blockage of the blood vessels [thromboembolic event] compared with OA patients. In addition, patients with RA were 60% more likely to die and 30-50% more likely to suffer an acute thromboembolic event compared with people with no arthritis," said Dr Watson.
The findings are based on primary practice information from the UK's General Practice Research Database (GPRD) which currently contains over 35 million patient years of data. The 2.4 million patients included in the study were all over 40 years of age and were drawn from 594 practices across England and Wales.
"The GPRD provides a powerful resource for large-scale studies that aim to identify risk factors for certain diseases. Our study provides new insight into the incidence of fatal and non-fatal heart disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to those with osteoarthritis or no arthritis," said Dr Watson.
Interestingly, recent studies have suggested that inflammation, the disease mediator central to the systemic effects of RA, plays a fundamental role in blood vessel blockage and in atherosclerosis, the progressive narrowing and hardening of the arteries over time. Furthermore, some studies also indicate that molecules such as pro-inflammatory cytokines are elevated at baseline among patients at risk for future coronary occlusion.
"Many theories on the link between arthritis and heart disease can be postulated, including treatment-related causes, inflammation and immune dysfunction. However, the underlying cause of the increased risk is not yet fully understood, and our study did not examine possible underlying causes of vascular disease other than age and gender. Further work needs to be done to determine these causes in patients with RA. However, our new data will be of value in counseling and advising patients with RA concerning the potential increased risk for cardiovascular disease. This, and other studies are essential if we are to continue to improve the tailored programme of care that each patient receives," concluded Dr Watson.
Gardiner-Caldwell Communications Ltd
The findings are based on primary practice information from the UK's General Practice Research Database (GPRD) which currently contains over 35 million patient years of data. The 2.4 million patients included in the study were all over 40 years of age and were drawn from 594 practices across England and Wales.
"The GPRD provides a powerful resource for large-scale studies that aim to identify risk factors for certain diseases. Our study provides new insight into the incidence of fatal and non-fatal heart disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to those with osteoarthritis or no arthritis," said Dr Watson.
Interestingly, recent studies have suggested that inflammation, the disease mediator central to the systemic effects of RA, plays a fundamental role in blood vessel blockage and in atherosclerosis, the progressive narrowing and hardening of the arteries over time. Furthermore, some studies also indicate that molecules such as pro-inflammatory cytokines are elevated at baseline among patients at risk for future coronary occlusion.
"Many theories on the link between arthritis and heart disease can be postulated, including treatment-related causes, inflammation and immune dysfunction. However, the underlying cause of the increased risk is not yet fully understood, and our study did not examine possible underlying causes of vascular disease other than age and gender. Further work needs to be done to determine these causes in patients with RA. However, our new data will be of value in counseling and advising patients with RA concerning the potential increased risk for cardiovascular disease. This, and other studies are essential if we are to continue to improve the tailored programme of care that each patient receives," concluded Dr Watson.
Gardiner-Caldwell Communications Ltd
Heart Disease Current Events and Heart Disease News RSSMultiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive
A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic."
Carvedilol shown to have unique characteristics among beta blockers
In a new study, researchers report that a class of heart medications called beta-blockers can have a helpful, or harmful, effect on the heart, depending on their molecular activity.
ESC to give talks on Diabetes in three cities in China
As a result of successful events organised last year, a second Joint Scientific Forum, organised by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), two of the most respected professional medical organisations in Europe, will be held from 27-29 November at three venues across China - Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Saving the single cysteine: new antioxidant system found
We've all read studies about the health benefits of having a life partner. The same thing is true at the molecular level, where amino acids known as cysteines are much more vulnerable to damage when single than when paired up with other cysteines.
Drug for erectile dysfunction improves heart function in young heart-disease patients
Heart function significantly improved in children and young adults with single-ventricle congenital heart disease who have had the Fontan operation following treatment with sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, say researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Study raises concerns about outdoor second-hand smoke
Indoor smoking bans have forced smokers at bars and restaurants onto outdoor patios, but a new University of Georgia study in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that these outdoor smoking areas might be creating a new health hazard.
Night Beat, Overtime and a Disrupted Sleep Pattern Can Harm Officers' Health
A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good "night's" sleep.
Your Own Stem Cells Can Treat Heart Disease
The largest national stem cell study for heart disease showed the first evidence that transplanting a potent form of adult stem cells into the heart muscle of subjects with severe angina results in less pain and an improved ability to walk. The transplant subjects also experienced fewer deaths than those who didn't receive stem cells.
Vitamin B niacin offers no extra benefit to statin therapy in seniors already diagnosed with CAD
The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows.
Heart and bone damage from low vitamin D tied to declines in sex hormones
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the first conclusive evidence in men that the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency are amplified by lower levels of the key sex hormone estrogen, but not testosterone.
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