Rheumatoid arthritis patients at increased risk of metabolic syndrome, CVD: PGIMER Study

Chandigarh: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of developing the metabolic syndrome (MetS), finds a recent study conducted by researchers of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) andpublished in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India. MetS along with other factors contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and increased mortality in RA patients.

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of mortality in patients with RA. Apart from the presence of traditional risk factors for CVD, the presence of systemic inflammation and MetS in patients with RA contributes to increased CVD incidence and mortality in these patients. Nilesh Bhilave, Resident, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, and colleagues determined the prevalence of MetS in RA patients presenting to a tertiary care centre in North India.

This case-control study involved 11 RA patients having a disease duration of ≥1 year and 114 healthy controls who are age and sex matched. MetS components were assessed in all the subjects and disease activity of RA was determined by DAS28-ESR. MetS were defined according to modified ATP-III criteria and consensus definition of metabolic syndrome for adult Asian Indians.

Women constituted 81.6% in the RA group and 80.5% in the control group. Mean age of subjects was 44.81±12.7 years in RA group and 43.27±12.6 years in the control group.

Key findings of the study include:

• According to modified ATP-III criteria, 36 (31.6%) RA subjects and 17 (14.9%) control had MetS.


• According to the consensus definition of metabolic syndrome for adult Asian Indian criteria, 40 (35.1%) RA subjects and 18 (15.8%) controls had MetS.


• There was no significant difference in disease activity between subjects of RA with or without MetS.

"The prevalence of MetS was higher in RA subjects compared to controls. There is no association of MetS with disease activity in our cohort. Larger studies are needed to determine the relationship between MetS and disease activity," concluded the authors.

To read the complete case study follow the link: www.japi.org