New research uncovers association between rheumatoid arthritis and chronic lung disease

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

There is a link between rheumatoid arthritis and chronic lung disease, according to a new study.
People with rheumatoid arthritis may be at risk of other health conditions. Now a team at the Mayo Clinic shows that patients with rheumatoid arthritis may also be at risk of chronic lung disease.

They looked at a group of 603 rheumatoid arthritis patients and examined their medical records from diagnosis through to either their death or last follow up appointment - a follow up period of about 14 years. Two lung experts and two rheumatologists also looked for evidence of lung disease in the patient's records.

The cumulative incidence of obstructive lung disease was 4.1 per cent at ten years after diagnosis, 9.5 per cent at 20 years and 15.1 per cent at 30 years. They also looked for evidence of diffuse parenchymal infiltrative lung disease and found the incidence of this condition even higher - the percentages as the years went by were 7.2 per cent, 15.5 per cent and 22.4 per cent. The findings suggest that more should be done to try to protect the all-round health of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Source
American College of Rheumatology meeting 11th November 2006

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