The impact of smoking on disease measures in rheumatoid arthritis: the need for appropriate adjustment of time-varying confounding. - PubMed - NCBI

The impact of smoking on disease measures in rheumatoid arthritis: the need for appropriate adjustment of time-varying confounding. - PubMed - NCBI

Rheumatol Int. 2018 Feb;38(2):313-314. doi: 10.1007/s00296-017-3902-3. Epub 2017 Dec 5.

The impact of smoking on disease measures in rheumatoid arthritis: the need for appropriate adjustment of time-varying confounding.

Gianfrancesco MA1, Yazdany J2, Schmajuk G2,3.

Author information

Abstract

In a recent publication, Quintana-Dunque et al. studied patients with early onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and showed that baseline smoking status was inversely associated with disease activity and disability at 36 months. The authors conclude that smoking may not be as deleterious as previously considered in RA disease course. However, the authors fail to highlight several limitations of study design and analysis, including time-varying confounding, which may have a direct impact on results and corresponding conclusions.

Comment on

• The impact of smoking on disease activity, disability, and radiographic damage in rheumatoid arthritis: is cigarette protective? [Rheumatol Int. 2017]

PMID:

 

29209792

 

PMCID:

 

PMC5775037

 

DOI:

 

10.1007/s00296-017-3902-3

[Indexed for MEDLINE] 

Free PMC Article