A Mohammad1, K Hartery, U Bond, M Phelan. 1. Department of Rheumatology, South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork, Ireland. ausafmohammad@gmail.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To identify cardiovascular and other comorbidities in a general rheumatology cohort. METHODS: Interviews/retrospective chart audits were conducted on 1,000 patients attending rheumatology outpatient clinics of a university teaching hospital. Comorbidities were classified using the Charlson comorbidity index (Ambrose et al. in Ir J Med Sci 178(1):53-55, 2009). RESULTS: Mean age 58 +/- 15.3 years, mean BMI 26. Of the patients, 400 (40%) were diagnosed with dyslipidemia and hypertension (p = 0.002), 160 (16%) with obesity and 80 (8%) with hypothyroidism. Overall 160 (16%) patients were diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD). Of these, 120 (75%) had RA (p = 0.001), 100 (63%) were male, mean age 60 +/- 15.8 years, 120 (75%) had dyslipidemia and BMI > 30 (p = 0.002), 112 (70%) were smokers (p = 0.002), 40 (25%) were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and 20 (12%) with hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: The increased prevalence of these comorbidities may serve as a reminder to the rheumatologists that many of their patients will have coexistent disease of which they need to be aware to properly plan their management.
BACKGROUND: To identify cardiovascular and other comorbidities in a general rheumatology cohort. METHODS: Interviews/retrospective chart audits were conducted on 1,000 patients attending rheumatology outpatient clinics of a university teaching hospital. Comorbidities were classified using the Charlson comorbidity index (Ambrose et al. in Ir J Med Sci 178(1):53-55, 2009). RESULTS: Mean age 58 +/- 15.3 years, mean BMI 26. Of the patients, 400 (40%) were diagnosed with dyslipidemia and hypertension (p = 0.002), 160 (16%) with obesity and 80 (8%) with hypothyroidism. Overall 160 (16%) patients were diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD). Of these, 120 (75%) had RA (p = 0.001), 100 (63%) were male, mean age 60 +/- 15.8 years, 120 (75%) had dyslipidemia and BMI > 30 (p = 0.002), 112 (70%) were smokers (p = 0.002), 40 (25%) were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and 20 (12%) with hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: The increased prevalence of these comorbidities may serve as a reminder to the rheumatologists that many of their patients will have coexistent disease of which they need to be aware to properly plan their management.
Authors: Paulo J Nicola; Cynthia S Crowson; Hilal Maradit-Kremers; Karla V Ballman; Véronique L Roger; Steven J Jacobsen; Sherine E Gabriel Journal: Arthritis Rheum Date: 2006-01