title: Comparison of comorbidities of the Egyptian rheumatoid arthritis patients to the global cohort of the COMORA study: a post-hoc analysis.
abstract: The aims of this study are to present the results of Egyptian RA patients included in COMORA cohort and compare it to general COMORA cohort, concerning prevalence of comorbidities, and level of application of recommendations related to detection/prevention of comorbidities. Three-hundred eight Egyptian RA patients included in the cross-sectional, observational, multi-center, international study "COMORA", were compared to the total number of 3612 RA patients. The CRF of COMORA was used in all patients. CRF collects demographic and disease characteristics, comorbidities, risk factors, and compliance with recommendations regarding management of comorbidities. Data were analyzed according to COMORA protocol. Egyptian RA patients were significantly younger, had more active disease, and were more functionally disabled. They showed more frequent use of NSAIDs, methotrexate and steroids and significantly lower use of bDMARDs when compared to non-Egyptians. Egyptian patients had the highest ever HCV prevalence, while depression, hypertension, smoking and dyslipidemia were less prevalent in Egyptians. Prevalence of malignancy risk factors was highly deficient among Egyptians; primarily due to lack of screening. Further, following recommendations for monitoring comorbidities is significantly deficient among Egyptian patients. Egyptian patients had more active disease and more functional impairment than the rest of the COMORA cohort; with lower use of bDMARDs, that is possibly related to the economic situation. Also, there is a clear gap in screening and monitoring comorbidities. Awareness among Egyptian healthcare providers (and possibly similar third-world countries) to detect and manage RA-related comorbidities is required.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Bassel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El-Zorkany
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mokbel
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. sherif775@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Sherif M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gamal
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mousa
authors.affiliation: Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, and M.Sc. Statistics, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Research and Epidemiology, Rheumatology Department, Mohammed V University, El Ayachi Hospital, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Ihsane
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hmamouchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents
keywords: COMORA; Comorbidities; Egypt; RA; Third-world countries