title: Prevalence of co-morbidities and evaluation of their monitoring in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis: comparison with the results of an international, cross-sectional study (COMORA).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We designed this study to evaluate the prevalence of comorbidities, their monitoring states and association with treatment medication in Korean rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared with patients from other countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 1050 RA patients from 11 Korean centers and compared them with 3520 patients from 16 other countries using an international, cross-sectional study evaluating comorbidities of RA (COMORA) database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Annual evaluations of cardiovascular (CV) risk were less frequently performed in Korea (P = 0.0011). The prevalence of CV-associated morbidity was similar between Korean and international RA patients, although the proportions of current smokers, patients with a family history of CV disease, patients with hyperlipidemia, and patients with Framingham score > 20% were significantly lower in Korea (P < 0.0001 for all), and the antiplatelet agents were more optimally used in Korea (P = 0.0004). Prostate cancer screening was less frequently performed compared to other countries (P < 0.0001). Less than 10% of Korean RA patients were given influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations according to current recommendations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are differences in the prevalence of comorbidities and monitoring states of the risk factors between patients in Korea and in other countries. The prevalence of CV morbidity was similar between the two groups although the prevalence of CV risk factors was significantly low in Korea, suggesting that rheumatologists in Korea need to pay more attention to yearly CV risk monitoring, in addition to the screening of malignancy and vaccination of RA patients against infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: In Ah
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hoon-Suk
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Won
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Ah
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae-Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon Medical School Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Han Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Geun
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Jong
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Bum
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eulji University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Clinical Research and Epidemiology, El Ayachi Hospital, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: Ihsane
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hmamouchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.|Department of Molecular Medicine and Biopharmaceutical Sciences, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeong Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015995:Prevalence; D065840:Protective Factors; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines
keywords: cardiovascular diseases; comorbidity; neoplasms; rheumatoid arthritis