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Urate-lowering therapy is associated with a reduced risk of arrhythmias: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Palapun Waitayangkoon1, Thiratest Leesutipornchai2, Witina Techasatian2
1Department of Medicine, MetroWest Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Framingham, MA, USA.
Journal of Rheumatic Diseases
|April 1, 2024
Summary
Urate-lowering therapy (ULT) significantly reduces the overall risk of cardiac arrhythmias. However, ULT did not show a significant reduction in the risk of atrial fibrillation in this meta-analysis.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Urate-lowering therapy (ULT) is recognized for its cardioprotective effects in primary cardiovascular event prevention.
- The impact of ULT on the risk of incident cardiac arrhythmias remains largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between urate-lowering therapy (ULT) and the risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE and Embase up to May 2023.
- Included studies were randomized controlled trials and cohort studies comparing arrhythmia risk in ULT users versus non-users.
Main Results:
- Analysis of 12,420 patients across five studies revealed that ULT users had a significantly lower risk of overall arrhythmias (pooled RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.74-0.92).
- Subgroup analysis indicated no significant reduction in the risk of atrial fibrillation among ULT users (pooled RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.54-1.05).
Conclusions:
- Urate-lowering therapy is linked to a reduced risk of overall cardiac arrhythmias.
- Further research is necessary to validate these findings and explore specific arrhythmia subtypes.
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