Increased occurrence of cardiovascular events and comorbidities in a general rheumatology cohort.
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.
Mohammad
A
A
Department of Rheumatology, South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork, Ireland. ausafmohammad@gmail.com
Hartery
K
K
Bond
U
U
Phelan
M
M
D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D007037:Hypothyroidism; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors