Washington, May 27 : Researchers have confirmed that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are twice as likely to also have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The study of 15,766 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 15,340 health controls found that the prevalence of COPD was significantly higher in RA patients than healthy controls (8.9 per cent vs. 4.4 per cent, p<0.001).

Interestingly, the link was still significant (p<0.001) after risk factors common in both RA and COPD patients, such as smoking, obesity and socioeconomic status, were controlled for.

“We know that similar changes in core physiological processes cause symptoms in RA and COPD and we hope that the results of our study prompts new research into potential links between altered genetic and autoimmune processes in the two conditions” said Dr. Amital of the Sheba Medical Centre, Israel.

The large, population-based case-control study was performed using the patient database of Israel''s largest healthcare provider, Clalit Health Services.

The prevalence of COPD was compared between RA patients over 20 years of age and a sample of age- and gender-matched patients without RA (the control group).

The study was presented at the EULAR 2011 Annual Congress. (ANI)