Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2025
Preliminary Study on Acupuncture Combined with Grain-sized Moxibustion for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Finger Joint Pain
Published on: May 16, 2025
Longitudinal reciprocal association between rheumatoid arthritis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
Kai Yang1, Lingwei Wang1, Shuyu Chen1
1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shenzhen Institute of Respiratory Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China.
Objectives:
To elucidate the longitudinal reciprocal association between RA and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the mediating role of systemic inflammation in the association.
Methods:
A total of 403 045 participants from UK Biobank were enrolled in this study. A cross-lagged panel model was used to investigate the longitudinal reciprocal association between RA and COPD. Cox proportional hazards regression and logistic regression models were also conducted to examine the association between baseline RA and COPD during follow-up, and vice versa. Causal mediation analysis was then performed to explore the mediating roles of 160 systemic inflammatory biomarkers in the bidirectional association.
Results:
At baseline, 4755 (1.2%) and 6989 (1.7%) individuals were diagnosed with RA and COPD, respectively. After adjusting for the covariates, the result of a cross-lagged panel model revealed a bidirectional association between RA and COPD (β = 0.018, P < 0.001 for the RA→COPD path; β = 0.010, P < 0.001 for the COPD→RA path). In the non-COPD population, the risk of future COPD was increased in RA patients [Cox model: hazard ratio (HR) 1.65 (95% CI 1.50, 1.83); logistic model: odds ratio (OR) 1.85 (95% CI 1.66, 2.07)]. In the non-RA population, baseline COPD was associated with a higher risk of RA during follow-up [Cox model: HR 1.67 (95% CI 1.44, 1.92); logistic model: OR 1.70 (95% CI 1.47, 1.97)]. Five inflammatory factors mediated the RA→COPD path and CRP mediated the COPD→RA path (false discovery rate < 0.05).
Conclusions:
A significant bidirectional association exists between RA and COPD and it is partially mediated by systemic inflammation.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
01:25Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-III: Symptoms and Complications.
Symptoms of COPD can be classified as primary or systemic. Primary symptoms relate to reduced airflow, while systemic or extrapulmonary symptoms relate to COPD's broader impact on the body.
Primary Symptoms of COPD:
01:22Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-I: Introduction
01:23Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
01:22Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies