Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis Increase Each Other's Risk, Study Confirms Long-Term Link
Researchers have found in a new study that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a dramatically higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and vice versa, and established a bidirectional relationship between the two autoimmune diseases. The evidence comes from a large population-based cohort study with prolonged follow-up and offers strong evidence for a common mechanism of disease. The research highlights the requirement that clinicians screen for RA in IBD patients and for gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with RA because early diagnosis and treatment may enhance quality of life and long-term outcomes. The study was published in the journal of Rheumatology by Yijun Chen and colleagues.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), which together constitute inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis are autoimmune inflammatory diseases that afflict millions worldwide. While the two diseases share systemic inflammation and immune dysregulation, the relationship between them has been obscure. Earlier case series and small studies had suggested potential associations, but strong prospective evidence of the risk that each disease bestows on the other has not been available. This research aimed to examine the long-term, two-way relationship between RA and IBD with data from two well-established, cancer-free population cohorts.
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