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Increased Risk of Acute Pancreatitis in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Cohort Study.
Chi Ching Chang1, Chi Sheng Chiou2, Hsiu Li Lin3
1Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Plos One
|August 12, 2015
Summary
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) face a higher risk of developing acute pancreatitis. While some RA medications don't lower this risk, oral corticosteroids may offer protection.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Gastroenterology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease.
- The association between RA and acute pancreatitis risk is not fully understood.
- Investigating drug effects on pancreatitis risk in RA patients is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if rheumatoid arthritis patients have an increased risk of acute pancreatitis.
- To examine if anti-rheumatoid arthritis drug use influences acute pancreatitis risk.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database.
- Compared 29,755 RA patients with 119,020 matched non-RA individuals (2000-2011).
- Utilized propensity score matching and Cox proportional hazard regression for analysis.
Main Results:
- RA patients showed a higher incidence density of acute pancreatitis (185.7 vs. 119.0 per 100,000 person-years).
- The adjusted hazard ratio for acute pancreatitis in RA patients was 1.62.
- Oral corticosteroid use was associated with a reduced risk (adjusted HR 0.83), but disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and TNF blockers did not show a protective effect.
Conclusions:
- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an elevated risk of acute pancreatitis.
- Oral corticosteroid use may potentially decrease the risk of acute pancreatitis in RA patients.
- Further research is needed to clarify the role of specific anti-RA therapies in pancreatitis risk.
