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Objective:

To evaluate rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity and risk for RA-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

Methods:

We investigated disease activity and RA-ILD risk using the Brigham RA Sequential Study (BRASS, 2003–2016). All subjects had RA according to accepted criteria. Disease activity scores using 28 joints (DAS28) and covariate data were measured prospectively at annual study visits. RA-ILD was determined by research review of images from clinically-indicated chest computed tomography scans. We analyzed subjects without RA-ILD at baseline. Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for RA-ILD by time-updated DAS28 categories, adjusting for known RA-ILD risk factors (age, sex, smoking, RA duration, and serologic status). We performed alternative analyses not censoring after missing DAS28 and adjusting for methotrexate/glucocorticoids …