Among Chinese adults starting urate-lowering therapy, colchicine use showed no link to a lower risk of cardiovascular events, 2 Minute Medicine reported on Nov. 3, 2026.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease stands as the top cause of global mortality, with chronic inflammation driving much of that risk. Researchers have long studied colchicine as an anti-inflammatory shield, though past evidence remained mixed and focused primarily on Western populations.
To test this in a different demographic, investigators launched a retrospective cohort study tracking patients in Beijing, China, between 2010 and 2017. Out of 285,727 adults beginning urate-lowering therapy, 6,157 patients received colchicine while 279,570 did not.
The exposed group had a mean age of 48.9 years with 18.4% women, compared to a mean age of 53.5 years and 34% women in the unexposed group. Data from the cohort study, published in BMC Medicine, revealed an incidence rate of 1.62 cardiovascular events per 100 person-years for patients on colchicine. Patients not taking the drug recorded a rate of 1.59 per 100 person-years, yielding a hazard ratio of 1.01.
The study found nearly identical outcomes for early cardiovascular disease among adults aged 65 or younger. That specific subgroup reported a hazard ratio of 0.96, showing no statistical benefit from the anti-inflammatory treatment.
| Patient Group | Patient Count | Mean Age (Years) | Incidence Rate (per 100 Person-Years) | Hazard Ratio (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colchicine Exposed | 6,157 | 48.9 | 1.62 | 1.01 (0.91–1.12) |
| Unexposed Group | 279,570 | 53.5 | 1.59 | Reference |
| Early CVD (Age ≤ 65) | Combined | N/A | N/A | 0.96 (0.82–1.12) |
Authors of the research said that their findings challenge the assumption that colchicine provides universal cardiovascular protection across diverse ethnic groups. Previous trials conducted largely in Western countries often pointed to reduced vascular inflammation, but those benefits did not appear in this Chinese adult cohort.
What remaining questions surround colchicine use in Asian populations initiating urate-lowering therapy?
Yang R, Yu H, Wang K, Wu J, Wang M, Qin X, et al. Colchicine use and cardiovascular event risk in Chinese adults starting urate-lowering therapy: a cohort study. BMC Med. 2026 Nov 3.
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