PEOPLE plagued by asthma and eczema are at increased risk of arthritis, a new study shows.
Those living with either condition are 58 per cent more likely to get painful joints later in life.
GettyPeople with asthma or eczema are 58 per cent more likely to develop arthritis later in life, a study by Stanford University researchers reveals[/caption]
Researchers tracked arthritis rates in more than 334,000 patients, including around 153,000 with allergic asthma or eczema.
Allergic reactions that cause both are believed to also lead to swelling that results in the agonising condition, the Stanford University team said.
Lead author Dr Matthew Baker said the discovery could lead to drugs targeting the reactions being given out to all patients.
Writing in the study, he said: “Patients with atopic disease have an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis compared with the general population.
“Our findings provide further support for the concept that allergic pathways may contribute to the development of osteoarthritis.”
Around 8million Brits — 12 per cent — are asthmatic, while up to one in 10 adults live with atopic eczema.
Both conditions are triggered by allergic reactions, in the lungs and skin respectively.
These reactions activate a type of white blood cell called mast cells, as well as chemicals that cause inflammation known as cytokines.
Previous research has linked both of these to developing arthritis, which is suffered by around 8.5million people in the UK.
The latest study, published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, investigated whether eczema and asthma patients are more at risk of the debilitating condition.
Researchers tracked US health records from 2010 to 2020 and cross-referenced these with insurance claims between January 2003 and June 2019.
The latter figures showed the risk of developing arthritis was 27 new cases per 100 people in those with the conditions, compared to 19 for those without over 10 years.
This trend was even more noticeable among the 4,325 people with both asthma and eczema, who were twice as likely to get painful joints.
The health records figures showed less of a trend, with the odds of developing it 42 per cent higher among those with both conditions.
Researchers said the results could also be useful for patients who don’t have eczema or asthmas, because they may still benefit from drugs that target allergic reactions.
Dr Baker said: “Non-atopic patients may also benefit from the use of treatments that inhibit mast cells and allergic cytokines to treat or prevent osteoarthritis.”