Rheumatoid Arthritis Increases the Risk of Pleural Empyema

Overview

Journal Open Med (Wars)

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2020 Dec 21

PMID 33344774

Citations 3

Authors

Kuang-Ming Liao

Cheng-Li Lin

Te-Chun Shen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can lead to various pulmonary manifestations. Evidence shows the possible association between RA and pleural empyema.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate the risk of pleural empyema in patients with RA. The RA group ( = 29,061) included newly diagnosed adult patients between 2000 and 2012. The comparison group ( = 1,16,244) included individuals without RA at a 1:4 ratio of frequency matched by age, gender, and diagnosis year. The occurrence of pleural empyema was monitored until the end of 2013.

Results: Patients with RA had a higher risk of developing pleural empyema than those without RA (23.6 vs 1.82 per 10,000 person-years, adjusted hazard ratio = 11.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.90-13.5). Furthermore, intensive care unit admission rates of pleural empyema were 37.7% in the RA group and 37.2% in the comparison group (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.66-1.57). The 30-day mortality rates of pleural empyema were 11.2% in the RA group and 10.9% in the comparison group (adjusted OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.51-1.88).

Conclusion: Patients with RA are at a greater risk of developing pleural empyema than those without RA.

Citing Articles

Rheumatoid arthritis associated recurrent pleural effusion.

Abbas R, Khan M, El Khoury A, AlMahdy A, Hishmeh M Respir Med Case Rep. 2024; 52:102129.

PMID: 39498239 PMC: 11532488. DOI: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2024.102129.

Systemic complications of rheumatoid arthritis: Focus on pathogenesis and treatment.

Wu D, Luo Y, Li T, Zhao X, Lv T, Fang G Front Immunol. 2023; 13:1051082.

PMID: 36618407 PMC: 9817137. DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1051082.

Pleural Empyema in a Patient with Progressive Rheumatoid Arthritis and Immunosuppression.

Tang W, Liu Z, Abreu C Case Rep Infect Dis. 2021; 2021:5212401.

PMID: 34336316 PMC: 8289618. DOI: 10.1155/2021/5212401.

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