title: Risk for Mycobacterial Disease among Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Taiwan, 2001-2011.
abstract: Increasing evidence indicates that the risk of acquiring tuberculosis (TB) and nontuberculous mycobacterial disease is elevated among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To determine the epidemiology of mycobacterial diseases among RA patients in Asia, we conducted a retrospective cohort study. We used a nationwide database to investigate the association of RA with mycobacterial diseases. The risk for development of TB or nontuberculous mycobacterial disease was 2.28-fold and 6.24-fold higher among RA patients than among the general population, respectively. Among RA patients, risk for development of mycobacterial disease was higher among those who were older, male, or both. Furthermore, among RA patients with mycobacterial infections, the risk for death was increased. Therefore, RA patients, especially those with other risk factors, should be closely monitored for development of mycobacterial disease.
authors.forename: Tsai-Ling
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Ching-Heng
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Gwan-Han
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chia-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chin-Fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Der-Yuan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014774:Virulence / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Taiwan; death hazard; nontuberculous mycobacterial disease; rheumatoid arthritis; risk factor; tuberculosis; tuberculosis and other mycobacteria