title: Arthritis: its prevalence, risk factors, and association with cardiovascular diseases in the United States, 1999 to 2008.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Arthritis is associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, there are limited epidemiologic studies on arthritis in a national survey study. We therefore investigated the prevalence of self-reported arthritis and its association with CVDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 15,888 subjects aged 40 years or older in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999 through 2008 were analyzed. CVD was defined as a self-reported history of heart attack, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, angina, or stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of self-reported arthritis in subjects aged 40 years or older increased from 33.5% in 1999 through 2000 to 37.0% in 2007 through 2008 (P for trend = 0.017). Among subjects with arthritis in 1999 through 2008, 35.3% had osteoarthritis (OA), 17.9% had rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and 10.2% had other types of arthritis, but 36.6% were unaware of their type of arthritis. Compared with subjects without OA, subjects with OA had higher odds for CVDs (odds ratio [OR], 1.53; P < .001), especially angina (OR, 2.18: P < .001). Compared with subjects without RA, subjects with RA had higher odds for CVDs (adjusted OR, 2.39; P < .001), especially congestive heart failure (OR, 3.59; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both RA and OA are strongly associated with CVDs in the general population. Further studies are needed to investigate their causal relationship.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Research Group, Heart Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. ongk@hri.org.au
authors.forename: Kwok Leung
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Ben J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bernard M Y
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barter
authors.forename: Kerry-Anne
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology