RESEARCH - The association of RA and its treatment with sinus disease

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J Rheumatol. 2006 Dec;33(12):2412-5.

The association of rheumatoid arthritis and its treatment with sinus disease.

Michaud K, Wolfe F.

National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases, University of Kansas School

of Medicine, Wichita, Kansas 67214, USA.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine if rates of sinus disease are increased in

patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and whether RA treatment

alters the risk of sinus disease.

METHODS: As part of a longitudinal study of rheumatic disease

outcomes, 7,243 patients with RA, 1,667 with osteoarthritis (OA), and

447 with fibromyalgia (FM) were evaluated for important sinus problems

in 2003. We defined an important sinus problem as one that required a

physician visit.

RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of sinus disorders among all patients

was 42.9%. During the previous 6 months 22.3% of patients with RA,

23.9% with OA, and 25.1% with FM visited a physician for a sinus

problem and 22.4%, 23.9%, and 25.1% , respectively, received a

prescription medication for a sinus problem. After adjustment for age

and sex, the rate of physician visits for a sinus problem was

significantly lower for patients with RA (22.1%) compared to patients

with OA (24.8%). The strongest predictor of sinus problems among all

patients was a history of allergy or asthma. Sinus problems were more

common among users of etanercept: odds ratio (OR) 1.2; 95% confidence

interval (CI): 1.0-1.4 univariably, and OR 1.2; 95% CI: 1.0-1.4

multivariably. Sulfasalazine (OR 0.7; 95% CI: 0.5-0.9) and leflunomide

(OR 0.8; 95% CI: 0.7-1.0) had a protective effect on sinus problems.

CONCLUSIONS: Sinus problems are decreased in patients with RA compared

to OA and FM. Slight protective effects on sinus problems are noted

with sulfasalazine and leflunomide, and a slight increase in risk of

sinus problems is noted with etanercept.

PMID: 17143978

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17143978

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