The impact of biologic therapies on heart disease and cancer in people with rheumatoid arthritis

Biologic therapies have revolutionised disease control in people with rheumatoid arthritis, but what about their impact on co-morbid disease? Scientists reviewed the research and published their findings in Arthritis Research & Therapy.

“The latest evidence from observational data shows an increased risk of infection in the first six months of treatment with tumour necrosis factor inhibitor therapies and potentially other biologic therapies,” they explain. “Rates of infection after the first six months decrease and become comparable to patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.”

Tumour necrosis factor inhibitor therapies also seem to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in these groups, in particular ischaemic heart disease.

“Tumour necrosis factor inhibitor therapies may be associated with a small increase in the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the skin,” the study authors say. “In terms of other cancers, rates appear to be no different to those seen in patients treated with conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.”

In general, however, there is a lack of data on the impact of other biologic therapies and the effect of all biologic therapies on other common co-morbidities – more work is needed in this area.

Click here to read the original research.

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