Rheumatoid arthritis carries higher risk of DVT
People with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in the lung, says a study published in Arthritis Care and Research.
It is known that rheumatoid arthritis is associated with heart disease, but little was previously understood about its association with venous thromboembolism (VTE) – which is deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in the lung.
Scientists looked at data from US insurance claims and compared people with rheumatoid arthritis to people without, factoring in age, gender, heart disease and medical history.
Over the two year study, people with rheumatoid arthritis were twice as likely to experience deep vein thrombosis or blood clots in the lung than people without rheumatoid arthritis.
