Rheumatoid arthritis-interstitial lung disease-associated mortality

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Pulmonology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Mortality rates for rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) are not well-established.
• RA-ILD is a serious complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the mortality rates of RA-ILD in the United States between 1988 and 2004.
• To analyze trends in RA-ILD mortality and prevalence over time.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Center for Health Statistics for U.S. deaths from 1988-2004.
• Calculated age-adjusted mortality rates for RA-ILD and compared them with RA mortality.
• Determined RA-ILD prevalence among all rheumatoid arthritis decedents.

Main Results:

• RA-ILD was identified in 6.6% of rheumatoid arthritis deaths (10,725 cases).
• RA-ILD mortality increased by 28.3% in women and decreased by 12.5% in men.
• RA-ILD prevalence rose in both sexes due to faster declines in overall RA mortality.

Conclusions:

• Clinically significant RA-ILD affects nearly 10% of RA patients, correlating with reduced survival.
• While overall RA mortality declined, RA-ILD mortality significantly increased, particularly in older individuals.