Anti-TNFs Cut MI Risk in RA A decrease of 39% in risk seen with TNF inhibition

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors had a decreased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) compared with those receiving conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), a large observational study found. The crude incidence rate of first MI was 35 (95% CI 30-40) per 10,000 patient-years among patients receiving TNF inhibitors compared with 56 (95% CI 46-73) among those receiving conventional synthetic DMARDs, according to Kimme L. Hyrich, MD, PhD, of the University of Manchester in England, and colleagues. This risk may be associated with the underlying inflammation, and because TNF inhibition decreases inflammation, the treatment might also influence MI risk. Some earlier studies found a lower risk with anti-TNF treatment, although others found similar risks with conventional DMARD therapy. In addition, most earlier studies addressed only short-term (1 to 2-year) risks. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Arthritis/62492?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-01-13&eun=g721819d0r&pos=4