In Ah Choi1, Sung Hwan Park2, Hoon-Suk Cha3, Won Park4, Hyun Ah Kim5, Dae-Hyun Yoo6, Han Joo Baek7, Seong Geun Lee8, Yun Jong Lee9, Yong Bum Park10, Seung-Cheol Shim11, Ihsane Hmamouchi12, Yeong Wook Song1,13. 1. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. 2. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea. 3. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. 4. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea. 5. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea. 6. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. 7. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon Medical School Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea. 8. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea. 9. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea. 10. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. 11. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea. 12. Rheumatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Research and Epidemiology, El Ayachi Hospital, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco. 13. Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
AIM: We designed this study to evaluate the prevalence of comorbidities, their monitoring states and association with treatment medication in Korean rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared with patients from other countries. METHODS: We analyzed 1050 RA patients from 11 Korean centers and compared them with 3520 patients from 16 other countries using an international, cross-sectional study evaluating comorbidities of RA (COMORA) database. RESULTS: Annual evaluations of cardiovascular (CV) risk were less frequently performed in Korea (P = 0.0011). The prevalence of CV-associated morbidity was similar between Korean and international RA patients, although the proportions of current smokers, patients with a family history of CV disease, patients with hyperlipidemia, and patients with Framingham score > 20% were significantly lower in Korea (P < 0.0001 for all), and the antiplatelet agents were more optimally used in Korea (P = 0.0004). Prostate cancer screening was less frequently performed compared to other countries (P < 0.0001). Less than 10% of Korean RA patients were given influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations according to current recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: There are differences in the prevalence of comorbidities and monitoring states of the risk factors between patients in Korea and in other countries. The prevalence of CV morbidity was similar between the two groups although the prevalence of CV risk factors was significantly low in Korea, suggesting that rheumatologists in Korea need to pay more attention to yearly CV risk monitoring, in addition to the screening of malignancy and vaccination of RA patients against infectious diseases.
AIM: We designed this study to evaluate the prevalence of comorbidities, their monitoring states and association with treatment medication in Korean rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared with patients from other countries. METHODS: We analyzed 1050 RApatients from 11 Korean centers and compared them with 3520 patients from 16 other countries using an international, cross-sectional study evaluating comorbidities of RA (COMORA) database. RESULTS: Annual evaluations of cardiovascular (CV) risk were less frequently performed in Korea (P = 0.0011). The prevalence of CV-associated morbidity was similar between Korean and international RApatients, although the proportions of current smokers, patients with a family history of CV disease, patients with hyperlipidemia, and patients with Framingham score > 20% were significantly lower in Korea (P < 0.0001 for all), and the antiplatelet agents were more optimally used in Korea (P = 0.0004). Prostate cancer screening was less frequently performed compared to other countries (P < 0.0001). Less than 10% of Korean RApatients were given influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations according to current recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: There are differences in the prevalence of comorbidities and monitoring states of the risk factors between patients in Korea and in other countries. The prevalence of CV morbidity was similar between the two groups although the prevalence of CV risk factors was significantly low in Korea, suggesting that rheumatologists in Korea need to pay more attention to yearly CV risk monitoring, in addition to the screening of malignancy and vaccination of RApatients against infectious diseases.