Rheumatoid arthritis associated with increased risk for new heart failure

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a higher rate of heart failure subtypes, according to a study published online Dec. 9 in Arthritis Care & Research.

Yumeko Kawano, M.D., from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues evaluated the risk for heart failure subtypes in patients with RA compared to non-RA controls. The analysis included 1,445 patients with RA and 4,335 matched non-RA controls.

The researchers found that heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) was the most common heart failure subtype in both groups (65% in RA versus 59% in non-RA). Patients with RA had a higher risk for incident heart failure than those without RA (hazard ratio, 1.79) when adjusting for cardiovascular disease risk factors. Patients with RA also had a higher rate of HFpEF (hazard ratio, 1.99). However, there was no statistical difference in the heart failure with reduced ejection fraction rate.

“The elevated risk was driven by HFpEF, supporting a role for inflammation in HFpEF and highlighting potential opportunities to address this excess risk in RA,” the authors write.

“Since inflammation is modifiable with anti-inflammatory medications, further studies are needed to determine whether anti-inflammatory therapies have the potential to reduce risk of HFpEF in RA and other individuals with chronic inflammation.”

Several authors disclosed ties to industry.

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