RESEARCH - RA is associated with a high prevalence of hypothyroidism that amplifies its cardiovascular risk

[Guest guest]

Ann Rheum Dis. 2008 Feb;67(2):229-32. Epub 2007 Jun 8.

Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a high prevalence of

hypothyroidism that amplifies its cardiovascular risk.

Raterman HG, van Halm VP, Voskuyl AE, Simsek S, Dijkmans BA, Nurmohamed MT.

Department of Rheumatology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam,

The Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have an increased risk

of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Other autoimmune diseases

such as hypothyroidism are also associated with an enhanced risk for

CVD. Our objective was to determine first, the prevalence of

hypothyroid disorders in RA patients, and second, the risk of CVD in

RA patients with hypothyroid abnormalities. METHODS: SUBJECTS: were RA

patients who participated in an ongoing prospective cohort study of

cardiovascular mortality and morbidity (n = 358) in which hypothyroid

abnormalities were assessed. CVD was defined as a verified medical

history of coronary, cerebral or peripheral arterial disease. RESULTS:

Clinical hypothyroidism was observed in 16 of 236 female RA patients

(6.8%), which is significantly higher than in the general population

of The Netherlands. Subclinical hypothyroidism was detected in 6 out

of 236 RA women (2.5%). In female RA patients, CVD was present in 6

out of 16 (37.5%) of all hypothyroid women. The odds ratio for CVD

comparing female hypothyroid RA patients with female euthyroid RA

patients was 4.1 (95% CI 1.2-14.3) after adjustment for sex, age,

diabetes, smoking (ever), hypertension and statin use.

CONCLUSIONS: Clinical hypothyroidism was observed three times more

often in female RA patients than females in the general population. In

female RA patients, clinical hypothyroidism was associated with a

fourfold higher risk of CVD in comparison with euthyroid female RA

patients independently of the traditional risk factors.

PMID: 17557891

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17557891

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Not an MD

[Guest guest]

, thanks for posting this research.

I've been wondering whether or not it was unusual to have both. I

was diagnosed at age 22 with a nontoxic goiter that caused

hypothyroidism. Even now at age 56, I'm always wondering if every

new thing that I have wrong with me (RA dx in Nov 2007) is caused by

the incomplete replacement of horomones created by the thyroid gland.

Fortunately, no CVD yet.

Does anyone else in the group have RA and hypothyroidism?

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> Ann Rheum Dis. 2008 Feb;67(2):229-32. Epub 2007 Jun 8.

>

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> Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a high prevalence of

> hypothyroidism that amplifies its cardiovascular risk.

>