Metabolic syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) generally affects people between the ages of 20 and 50. Patients with RA have a significantly higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) compared to the general population. The increased cardiovascular risk (CVR) associated with RA places this disease among the most widely studied. The duration of RA was associated with MS, implicating the role of inflammation in MS development. The presence of MS correlates with increased subclinical atherosclerosis. A positive correlation between prevalence of MS and worsening of functional status was found in patients with RA. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk and a higher mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the rheumatologist should be aware of those MS risk factors and attempt to modify them. This review summarizes recent advances in the field of MS in RA.