In a nutshell
This study investigated if there was a risk of thromboembolism (blood clots) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.
They found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis had a greater risk of thromboembolism.
Some background
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a condition that causes pain and inflammation in the joints. Psoriasis is a condition that effects the skin, causing painful rashes. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) affects both the skin and joints. All of these conditions are caused by chronic (long-term) inflammation.
Inflammation has been shown to cause artherosclerosis (fatty deposits on artery walls). It has been suggested that these patients may also be at risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). This is a serious condition where a blood clot forms in a vein and ruptures.
Methods & findings
This study investigated if there is risk of VTE in patients with RA or other inflammatory disorders.This study included data from a large cohort of patients (almost 1.5 million) that included patients with RA (51,762), PsA (12,084), psoriasis (194,288), and healthy controls (1,225,571). They examined the number of episodes of VTE, pulmonary embolus (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) over 20 years.
Patients with RA had an increased risk of VTE (+30-35%). Patients with RA also had an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (+25-29%, a blood clot in a deep vein such as the leg) and pulmonary embolism (+45-74%, blood clot in the lung).
The bottom line
This study concluded that patients with rheumatoid arthritis had a greater risk of thromboembolism, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
The fine print
This study was retrospective and not all data was available to identify what may cause the increased risks.
What’s next?
If you have any concerns regarding treatment or risk of complications, please discuss with your doctor.
Published By :
European Heart Journal
Date :
Apr 20, 2017
