Malaria drug could be used in early rheumatoid arthritis

In early rheumatoid arthritis, treatment with the antimalarial hydroxychloroquine may reduce the risk of high cholesterol when compared with methotrexate, says a large study published in Arthritis Care & Research.
We already know that many people with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have high cholesterol, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. So a research team looked at 17,145 early rheumatoid arthritis patients, of whom 364 developed high cholesterol.
They were split into four groups (which were similar in terms of age, blood pressure and diabetes):
• TNF alpha inhibitors with or without other nonbiologic DMARDs;
• Methotrexate without hydroxychloroquine or TNF alpha inhibitors;
• Hydroxychloroquine without methotrexate or TNF alpha inhibitors;
• Other nonbiologic agents without methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine or TNF alpha inhibitors.
Analysis of the statistics suggested that use of hydroxychloroquine may be associated with a lower risk of high cholesterol in people with early rheumatoid arthritis.
“Understanding rheumatoid arthritis treatments associated with favorable changes in traditional cardiovascular risk factors can inform cardiovascular risk management in rheumatoid arthritis,” the authors comment.

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Click here to read the original research.

Image credit: Tanakawho