RESEARCH - Risk of MI doubled in patients with RA

[Guest guest]

Risk of MI Doubled in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Oct 10 - Patients with rheumatoid arthritis

(RA) are twice as likely to experience a myocardial infarction (MI)

over a 3-year period compared with patients with noninflammatory

rheumatic disorders, according to data from the Wichita, Kansas-based

National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases.

However, say co-authors Dr. Frederick Wolfe and Dr. Kaleb Michaud, the

only factor that accounted for the increased risk was corticosteroid

use among patients with the inflammatory disease.

The prospective cohort study, described in the September issue of

Arthritis & Rheumatism, included 17,738 patients with rheumatic

arthritis and 3001 patients with noninflammatory rheumatic disorders

assessed at 6-month intervals between 1999 and 2006.

There were 223 first MIs in the RA group and 25 in the non-RA group

during a mean follow-up period of 3.0 years (adjusted hazard ratio

1.9, p = 0.005).

Conventional cardiovascular risk factors predicted incident MI to a

similar degree in the two groups.

The only treatment associated with increased MI risk was prednisone.

There was a dose-response relationship, such that patients receiving >

5 mg/day were at significantly greater risk than those treated with

lower doses (p = 0.031). When RA patients treated with prednisone were

excluded from the analysis, the difference in risk between the two

groups was no longer statistically significant.

" Neither anti-TNF therapy nor any other therapy was significantly

associated with MI risk in any analysis, " Drs. Wolfe and Michaud

report. Of note, anti-TNF therapy did not appear to exert any

protective effect, as had been hoped.

Arthritis Rheum 2008;58:2612-2621.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/581898

Not an MD

[Guest guest]

and group;

I think this means cortosteroids is bad for those that have heart

problems... If so I should not take cortocosteroids cause I have

congestive heart failure

gentle hugs

Clora

******************************************************

> Risk of MI Doubled in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

>

>

> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Oct 10 - Patients with rheumatoid

arthritis

> (RA) are twice as likely to experience a myocardial infarction (MI)

> over a 3-year period compared with patients with noninflammatory

> rheumatic disorders, according to data from the Wichita, Kansas-

based

> National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases.

>

> However, say co-authors Dr. Frederick Wolfe and Dr. Kaleb Michaud,

the

> only factor that accounted for the increased risk was corticosteroid

> use among patients with the inflammatory disease.

>

> The prospective cohort study, described in the September issue of

> Arthritis & Rheumatism, included 17,738 patients with rheumatic

> arthritis and 3001 patients with noninflammatory rheumatic disorders

> assessed at 6-month intervals between 1999 and 2006.

>

> There were 223 first MIs in the RA group and 25 in the non-RA group

> during a mean follow-up period of 3.0 years (adjusted hazard ratio

> 1.9, p = 0.005).

>

> Conventional cardiovascular risk factors predicted incident MI to a

> similar degree in the two groups.

>

> The only treatment associated with increased MI risk was prednisone.

> There was a dose-response relationship, such that patients

receiving >

> 5 mg/day were at significantly greater risk than those treated with

> lower doses (p = 0.031). When RA patients treated with prednisone

were

> excluded from the analysis, the difference in risk between the two

> groups was no longer statistically significant.

>

> " Neither anti-TNF therapy nor any other therapy was significantly

> associated with MI risk in any analysis, " Drs. Wolfe and Michaud

> report. Of note, anti-TNF therapy did not appear to exert any

> protective effect, as had been hoped.

>

>

> Arthritis Rheum 2008;58:2612-2621.

>

> http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/581898

>

>

>

> Not an MD

>

[Guest guest]

Awwww OK I understand better now,,, thanks

gentle hugs

Clora

*********************************************8

> Clora,

>

> This study demonstrates a relationship between RA patients who are

on

> corticosteroids (like prednisone) and an increased risk of

myocardial

> infarction (MI - heart attack). The risk increased in relation to

the

> dose of corticosteroids.

>

> There also is a relationship between more severe RA and

corticosteroid

> use, so the results have to be interpreted with that in mind.

>

>

>

> Not an MD

>

>

>

>

>