title: Use of statins is associated with an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Statins offer significant cardiovascular benefits. Their use, however, influences immune regulation, which may potentially facilitate autoimmunity, eventually resulting in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).The authors studied whether statin use was associated with an increased risk of developing RA by conducting a case-control study using the Netherlands Information Network of General Practice database.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors identified 508 patients aged 40 years or older with a first-time diagnosis of RA in the period 2001-2006. Each RA case was matched to five controls for age, sex and index date, which was selected 1 year before the first diagnosis of RA. Odds ratios for the first-time diagnosis of RA were verified by a referral to a rheumatologist and/or at least one prescription of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and/or two prescriptions of corticosteroids after the date of first diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cases were more often users of statins (15.9%) compared to controls (8.6%). After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and use of comedication, statin use was associated with an increased risk of incident RA (adjusted OR, 1.71 (95% CI 1.16 to 2.53); p=0.007). A consistent trend of increasing risk with increased cumulative duration, cumulative defined daily doses and number of prescriptions was not observed. However, a small trend between the potency of statin treatment and the risk of RA was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Statin use seems to be associated with an increased risk of developing RA. Our findings should be replicated by additional studies.
authors: Laboratory for Health Protection Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors: H J I
authors: HJ
authors: de Jong
authors: O H
authors: OH
authors: Klungel
authors: L
authors: L
authors: van Dijk
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Vandebriel
authors: H G M
authors: HG
authors: Leufkens
authors: J W
authors: JW
authors: van der Laan
authors: J W
authors: JW
authors: Cohen Tervaert
authors: H
authors: H
authors: van Loveren
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors