The Influence of Early Menopause on Cardiovascular Risk in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Overview

Journal J Rheumatol

Specialty Rheumatology

Date 2014 Jun 3

PMID 24882842

Citations 7

Authors

Emily C Pfeifer

Cynthia S Crowson

Shreyasee Amin

Sherine E Gabriel

Eric L Matteson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Early menopause is associated with an increased risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women increases following menopause. Because RA is associated with an increased risk of CVD, this study was undertaken to determine whether early menopause affects the risk of developing CVD in women with RA.

Methods: A population-based inception cohort of 600 women with RA who fulfilled 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA between 1955 and 2007 and were age ≥ 45 years at diagnosis was assembled and followed. Age at menopause and duration of hormone replacement therapy, along with occurrence of CVD, was ascertained by review of medical records. Cox proportional hazard models compared women who underwent early menopause (natural or artificial menopause at age ≤ 45 yrs) to those within the cohort who did not undergo early menopause.

Results: Of 600 women, 79 experienced early menopause. Women who underwent early menopause were at significantly higher risk for developing CVD when compared to women who did not (HR 1.56; 95% CI 1.08-2.26).

Conclusion: The risk of CVD in women with RA was higher in those who experienced early menopause, and like other known risk factors should increase clinician concern for development of CVD in these patients.

Citing Articles

Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Risk Profiles of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from an Italian Multicentre Cohort.

Atzeni F, Bartoloni E, Cacciapaglia F, Gremese E, Manfredi A, Piga M J Clin Med. 2024; 13(22).

PMID: 39597841 PMC: 11594369. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13226693.

Hormonal and Reproductive Factors in Relation to Cardiovascular Events in Women with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Boman A, Kokkonen H, Berglin E, Alenius G, Rantapaa-Dahlqvist S J Clin Med. 2023; 12(1).

PMID: 36615009 PMC: 9820904. DOI: 10.3390/jcm12010208.

Associations between Cardiovascular Outcomes and Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Kang S, Han K, Jung J, Eun Y, Kim I, Hwang J J Clin Med. 2022; 11(22).

PMID: 36431290 PMC: 9695475. DOI: 10.3390/jcm11226812.

Younger age and female gender are determinants of underestimated cardiovascular risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a prospective cohort study.

Rohrich D, van de Wetering E, Rennings A, Arts E, Meek I, den Broeder A Arthritis Res Ther. 2021; 23(1):2.

PMID: 33397472 PMC: 7784252. DOI: 10.1186/s13075-020-02384-9.

Sex steroids and autoimmune rheumatic diseases: state of the art.

Cutolo M, Straub R Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2020; 16(11):628-644.

PMID: 33009519 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-020-0503-4.

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