Another Reason to Encourage RA Patients to Stop Smoking

In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, smoking had a dramatic effect on mortality.

Despite all the health warnings about smoking, as of 2014, 16.8% of U.S. residents were smokers. Smoking cessation leads to lower early mortality among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and coronary artery disease, but data are lacking on effects of smoking in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers used data from 121,700 women in the Nurses' Health Study to see if smoking status affected mortality outcomes in patients with RA.

A total of 938 women with incident RA were matched with 8951 non-RA controls; about 60% of women in both groups had ever smoked. Among RA patients, 40% of smokers quit permanently within 4 years of RA diagnosis; 36% of non-RA controls quit during the same perio…

Reviewing Author

Jonathan S. Coblyn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory BoardCVS Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Jonathan S. Coblyn, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory BoardCVS Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Another Reason to Encourage RA Patients to Stop Smoking

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Reviewing Author