Gastro Woes Often Strike Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

HealthDay – 1 hr 34 mins ago MONDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- People with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk for gastrointestinal problems, such as ulcers and bleeding, and also for death related to gastrointestinal issues, a new study says.

The findings highlight the need to develop new ways to prevent and treat gastrointestinal complications in rheumatoid arthritis patients, according to the Mayo Clinic researchers.

They examined data collected from 813 rheumatoid arthritis patients and an equal number of patients without the disease between 1980 and 2008.

During that time, the incidence of upper gastrointestinal problems in rheumatoid arthritis patients declined but was still higher than in people without rheumatoid arthritis: 2.9 vs. 1.7 per 100-person years. Rheumatoid arthritis patients also had a higher rate of lower gastrointestinal problems than people without RA: 2.1 vs. 1.4 per 100-person years.

The researchers also found that 229 of the rheumatoid arthritis patients died and that gastrointestinal problems such as bleeds, perforations and obstructions were significantly associated with their deaths.

"Our findings emphasize that physicians and patients must be vigilant for these complications, which can occur without causing abdominal pain," study co-author Dr. Eric Matteson, chair of the rheumatology department at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., said in a Mayo news release.

Quitting smoking and reducing use of corticosteroids may be important ways to cut the risk of gastrointestinal complications in rheumatoid arthritis patients, he added.

The study was published online last week in The Journal of Rheumatology.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about rheumatoid arthritis.

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Diagnostic Scans Tied to Radiation Risk for Gastro Patients

HealthDay – 1 hr 1 min ago FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease may be exposed to significant levels of radiation from diagnostic imaging tests, a new study suggests.

Irish researchers analyzed data from 2,590 patients with gastrointestinal disorders between 1999 and 2009, and found that 57 percent of them had undergone diagnostic imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) imaging.

Higher yearly and total levels of diagnostic radiation exposure were seen in patients with such conditions as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, fatty liver disease and benign liver cysts, as well as in younger patients with irritable bowel syndrome and unexplained abdominal pain syndrome.

The study appears in the April 1 online edition of the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

"Our results show that significant increases in radiation exposure in the last decade have paralleled the increased use of computed tomography imaging," lead author Alan Desmond, of the Cork University Hospital, said in a news release from the American Gastroenterological Association. "While cumulative exposure is highest in patients with Crohn's disease, high exposure may also occur in patients with other gastrointestinal disorders."

Crohn's disease is a major form of inflammatory bowel disease, along with ulcerative colitis.

Diagnostic imaging with CT does benefit patients with gastrointestinal tract disorders, especially those with Crohn's disease, who often require abdominal imaging to assess the extent of their disease and detect complications, the researchers noted.

However, CT uses higher levels of radiation than other imaging technologies and more widespread use of CT has led to increased patient exposure to radiation. This has raised concerns because radiation exposure may increase a person's lifetime risk of cancer, especially in younger patients.

More information

The American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America has more about radiation exposure in X-ray and CT examinations.

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