The Risk of Lung Cancer in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate lung cancer risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and RA-interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Methods: We performed a retrospective, matched cohort study of RA and RA-ILD within the Veterans Health Administration (VA) between 2000 and 2019. Patients with RA and RA-ILD were identified with validated administrative-based algorithms, then matched (up to 1:10) on age, gender, and VA enrollment year to individuals without RA.

Plasma Matrix Metalloproteinase Concentrations and Risk of Interstitial Lung Disease in a Prospective Rheumatoid Arthritis Cohort.

Objective: To evaluate the associations of plasma matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) with prevalent and incident interstitial lung disease (ILD) in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Within a multicenter, prospective cohort of US veterans with RA, we performed a cross-sectional study of prevalent ILD and cohort study of incident ILD. ILD diagnoses were validated by medical record review of provider diagnoses and chest imaging and/or pathology reports.

Enhancing the identification of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease through text mining of chest computerized tomography reports.

Objectives: Algorithms have been developed to identify rheumatoid arthritis-interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) in administrative data with positive predictive values (PPVs) between 70 and 80%. We hypothesized that including ILD-related terms identified within chest computed tomography (CT) reports through text mining would improve the PPV of these algorithms in this cross-sectional study.

Methods: We identified a derivation cohort of possible RA-ILD cases (n = 114) using electronic health record data from a large academic medical center and performed medical record review to validate diagnoses (reference standard).

Inhalant and Additional Mucosal-Related Environmental Risks for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurs as the result of a complex interplay of environmental factors in a genetically susceptible individual. There is considerable evidence that the lungs may serve as an initial site of tolerance loss in the generation of RA-related autoimmunity, and several environmental inhalant exposures and lung diseases have been associated with RA risk. There is additional evidence that immune and microbial dysregulation of other mucosal sites, including the oral and gastrointestinal mucosa, may contribute to the development of RA.

Predictive ability, validity, and responsiveness of the multi-biomarker disease activity score in patients with rheumatoid arthritis initiating methotrexate.

Background/objective: We assessed the predictive value, validity, and responsiveness of the multi-biomarker disease activity (MBDA) score in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients initiating methotrexate.

Methods: We examined data from a 16-week, open-label study of methotrexate in RA. Disease activity was assessed and the MBDA score was calculated using serum that was collected and banked from baseline and week 16.