Prevalence and Comorbidities Among Individuals With Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Saudi Arabian Context

Mushabab Alghamdi; Mansour Y Somaily; Shahenda Alemam; Saeed Majadah; Abduaelah Ali H Hassan; Abdullah A Meshary; Saad Ahmad A Alasmri; Munif S Ali; Abdullah A Alsubaie; Elhadi Miskeen

doi:10.7759/cureus.53992

Prevalence and Comorbidities Among Individuals With Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Saudi Arabian Context

Cureus. 2024 Feb 10;16(2):e53992. doi: 10.7759/cureus.53992. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha, SAU.
² Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Division, Armed Forces Hospital - Southern Region, Khamis Mushait, SAU.
³ Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Division, Khamis Mushait General Hospital, Khamis Mushait, SAU.
⁴ College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, SAU.
⁵ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha, SAU.

Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Saudi Arabia (SA) is a significant health concern with a notable impact on individuals and the healthcare system. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and profile of comorbidities in patients with RA.

Methodology: This is a retrospective descriptive study involving 150 RA patients from August 2022 to August 2023, which was conducted at Khamis Mushait General Hospital, a major healthcare institution in SA. We examined the medical records to gather pertinent information. Stata Statistical Software: Release 18 (2023; StataCorp LLC, College Station, Texas, United States) was used for data analysis. The examination focused on sociodemographic factors, disease duration, prescribed medications (including methotrexate and biologic therapy), and the presence of comorbidities. Approval for the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board of the Aseer Ministry of Health (approval number: H-06-B-091).

Results: The study found a high prevalence of comorbidities in patients with RA. Around 96.7% of the patients had at least one documented comorbidity, highlighting this population's burden of additional health conditions. The most common comorbidity observed was anemia, affecting 48.7% of the patients. Other frequently observed comorbidities include hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, interstitial lung disease, chronic renal disease, stroke, and coronary artery disease. The factors influencing comorbidities included an odds ratio of 1.086 (p=0.025), while being male was associated with lower odds (odds ratio=0.529, p=0.017). Additionally, disease duration (odds ratio=1.164, p=0.007), methotrexate use (odds ratio=2.553, p=0.001), and receiving biologic therapy (odds ratio=3.488, p<0.001) were significant contributors to comorbidities.

Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for comprehensive approaches to address RA and its associated comorbidities. Research and awareness initiatives are essential to understand better the specific nuances of RA in SA, leading to improved diagnostic and treatment strategies for the needs of the local population.

Keywords: comorbidities; prevalence; profile; ra patients; rheumatoid arthritis; saudi arabia.