Comorbid conditions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis : A prospective observational study in a tertiary care hospital.

DR SHAHBAZ KHAN; DR ANNIL MAHAJAN; DR VISHAL TANDON

Volume : VII, Issue : X, October - 2018

Comorbid conditions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis : A prospective observational study in a tertiary care hospital.

Dr Shahbaz Khan, Dr Annil Mahajan, Dr Vishal Tandon

Abstract :

Background :Rehumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease characterised by inflammation the principal hallmark of which is symmetric polyarthritis with main involvement of the small joints in hands and feet.In this prospective study a total of 110 patients were taken and various comorbid conditions associated with RA were noted. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease whose morbidity exceeds its mortality. Materials and methods: In this prospective study conducted over one year a total of 110 patients who were diagnosed cases of rheumatoid arthritis were observed and various comorbid conditions present in these patients in addition to rheumatoid arthritis were noted so as to find incidence of the comorbid conditions. Inclusion of patients was done of those patients who fulfilled ACR/EULAR criteria for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis.Results: In this prospective study of 110 patients it was found thatthe most common comorbid condition was hypertension followed by diabetes followed by anaemia and hypothyroidism which is in accordance with most of the previous studies.Conclusions:The current study highlights Rheumatoid arthritis to be very common rheumatological problem presenting commonly in 5^th to 6^th decade of life with female predominance. It vindicates the fact that various comorbid conditions in patients with rheumatoid arthriris are on rise and contributes to increase in mortality and morbidity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.