Association Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Risk of Incident Degenerative Valvular Heart Disease: Evidence From...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Rheumatology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and valvular heart disease (VHD) share risk factors and inflammatory pathways.
• The precise interrelationship between RA and degenerative VHD requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between prevalent rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the risk of new-onset degenerative valvular heart disease (VHD).

Main Methods:

• A cohort study of 492,745 UK Biobank participants without baseline VHD.
• Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between RA and 8 subtypes of degenerative VHD.
• Analyses included sequential adjustments for demographic, lifestyle, and comorbidity factors.

Main Results:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was significantly associated with an increased risk of new-onset aortic stenosis (HR, 1.64), aortic regurgitation (HR, 1.69), and mitral regurgitation (HR, 1.54).
• No significant association was found between RA and other VHD subtypes.
• A significant interaction between sex and RA was observed for aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation, indicating a higher risk in women.

Conclusions:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an independent risk factor for developing degenerative aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, and mitral regurgitation.
• These findings underscore the importance of considering cardiovascular risk in RA patients.
• Further research and enhanced disease management strategies are warranted for RA patients at risk of VHD.