title: Comorbidities in Turkish patients with rheumatoid arthritis: association with the health-related quality of life in terms of disease activity, functional and radiological status, severity of pain, and social and emotional functioning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate the comorbidities in Turkish RA patients and evaluate the impact of comorbidities on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in terms of disease activity, functional and radiological status, severity of pain, and social and emotional functioning.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional setting, a total of 160 RA patients who were admitted to our outpatient clinic between December 2013 and February 2014 were consecutively enrolled in the study. Comorbidities were recorded. Disease activity was measured by using Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28). Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) was used for determining functional status, Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) for HRQoL, and modified Sharp Score for radiological damage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comorbidities were reported in 107 patients (66.88 %). The most common was peptic ulcer (31.25%). This was followed by osteoporosis (21.25%), dyslipidemia (15.63%), depression (15%), hypertension (13.75%), diabetes mellitus (13.13%), thyroid disorders (%8.13), lung diseases (%6.88), cardiovascular diseases (6.25%), and cancers [(1 breast cancer, 1 malign melanoma, 3 lung carcinoma), 3.13%], respectively. Patients with comorbidities scored significantly higher in DAS28, HAQ, pain, energy and physical mobility subgroups of NHP (p<0.05). It was not recorded any statistical significant difference in modified Sharp scores and sleep, social isolation and emotional reactions subgroups of NHP between the patient groups with and without comorbidities (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comorbid conditions of RA are common and associated with more active and severe disease and functional impairment. Comorbidities should be detected and treated earlier to reduce its negative impact on outcome in RA.
authors.affiliation: Ankara Basak Medical Center.
authors.forename: Yesim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Garip
authors.affiliation: Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital.
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eser
authors.affiliation: Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bodur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult