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Objective. Most of the evidence regarding complications following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are based on patients with osteoarthritis (OA); less is known about outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using a validated algorithm for identifying patients with RA, we undertook this study to compare the rates of complications among THA and TKA recipients between those with RA and those without RA.Methods. In patients who underwent a first primary elective THA or TKA between 2002 and 2009, those with RA were identified using a validated algorithm: a hospitalization with a diagnosis code for RA or 3 physician billing claims with a diagnosis code for RA, with at least 1 claim by a specialist (rheumatologist, orthopedic surgeon, or internist) in a 2-year period. Recipients with diagnostic codes suggesting an inflammatory arthritis, but not meeting RA criteria, were classified as having inflammatory arthritis. All remaining patients were deemed to have OA. Cox proportional hazards models, censored on death, were used to determine the relationship between the type of arthritis and the occurrence of specific complications, adjusting for potential confounders (age, sex, comorbidity, and provider volume).Results. We identified 43,997 eligible THA recipients (3% with RA) and 71,793 eligible TKA recipients (4% with RA). Total joint arthroplasty recipients with RA had higher age and sex-standardized rates of dislocation following THA (2.45%, compared with 1.21% for recipients with OA) and higher age and sex-standardized rates of infection following TKA (1.26%, compared with 0.84% for recipients with OA). Controlling for potential confounders, recipients with RA remained at increased risk of dislocation within 2 years of THA (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.91, P ‫؍‬ 0.001) and remained at increased risk of infection within 2 years of TKA (adjusted HR 1.47, P ‫؍‬ 0.03) relative to recipients with OA.Conclusion. Patients with RA are at higher risk of dislocation following THA and are at higher risk of infection following TKA relative to those with OA. Further research is warranted to elucidate explanations for these findings, including the roles of medication profile, implant choice, postoperative antibiotic protocol, and method of rehabilitation following joint replacement.

; for the Canadian Drug Safety and Effectiveness Research Network (CDSERN) IMPORTANCE Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and its rate has risen by 16% in the past decade. Deliberate self-poisoning is the leading method of attempted suicide. Unlike more violent methods, which are almost universally fatal, survival following self-poisoning is common, providing an opportunity for secondary prevention. However, the long-term risk of suicide following a first episode of self-poisoning is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the risk of suicide and mortality from other causes following a first self-poisoning episode. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Population-based cohort study using multiple linked health care databases. We identified all individuals with a first self-poisoning episode in Ontario, Canada, from April 1, 2002, through December 31, 2010, and followed up all surviving participants until December 31, 2011, or death, whichever occurred first. For each individual with a deliberate self-poisoning episode, we randomly selected 1 control from the same population with no such history, matched for age (within 3 months), sex, and calendar year. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary analysis examined the risk of suicide following discharge after self-poisoning. The secondary analyses explored factors associated with suicide and examined the risk of death caused by accidents or any other cause. RESULTS We identified 65 784 patients (18 482 [28.1%] younger than 20 years) who were discharged after a first self-poisoning episode. During a median follow-up of 5.3 years (interquartile range, 3.1-7.6 years), 4176 died, including 976 (23.4%) by suicide. The risk of suicide following self-poisoning was markedly increased relative to controls (hazard ratio, 41.96; 95% CI, 27.75-63.44), corresponding to a suicide rate of 278 vs 7 per 100 000 person-years, respectively. The median time from hospital discharge to completed suicide was 585 days (interquartile range, 147-1301 days). Older age, male sex, multiple intervening self-poisoning episodes, higher socioeconomic status, depression, and recent psychiatric care were strongly associated with suicide. Patients with a self-poisoning episode were also more likely to die because of accidents (hazard ratio, 10.45; 95% CI, 8.10-13.47) and all causes combined (hazard ratio, 5.55; 95% CI, 5.12-6.02). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE A first self-poisoning episode is a strong predictor of subsequent suicide and premature death. Most suicides occur long after the index poisoning, emphasizing the importance of longitudinal, sustained secondary prevention initiatives.

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MS patients can be accurately identified from administrative data. Our findings illustrated a rising prevalence of MS over time. MS incidence rates also appear to be rising since 2009.