title: Lipid abnormalities in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of dyslipidemia in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study, conducted at the 'Rheumatology Clinic' of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), Karachi, from November 2013 to May 2014. A total of 200 patients of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), diagnosed according to the ACR/EULAR criteria 2010, were included in the study. Laboratory investigations including creatinine, ALT, CBC, TSH and fasting lipid profile (LDL, HDL, and Total cholesterol) were done for all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 200 patients, 23 (11.5%) were male and 177 (88.5%) were female. The mean age was 36.31±10.46 years and the mean duration of disease was 3.82±3.03 years. A total of 107 (53.5%) patients had dyslipidemia, and the commonest abnormality was a low HDL, seen in 83 (41.5 %) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dyslipidemia was frequently observed in Rheumatoid Arthritis. This may be considered as a secondary impact of chronic inflammatory state, seen in RA. Lipid abnormalities should be sought at regular intervals, and corrective actions taken to mitigate increased cardiovascular disease risk.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Uzma Erum, MBBS, FCPS Trainee. Medical Unit-II, Rafiqee Shaheed Road, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Uzma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Erum
authors.affiliation: Prof. Tasnim Ahsan, MRCP, FRCP, FRCP, FRCP. Medical Unit-II, Rafiqee Shaheed Road, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tasnim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahsan
authors.affiliation: Dr. Danish Khowaja, MBBS, FCPS Trainee. Medical Unit-II, Rafiqee Shaheed Road, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Danish
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khowaja
keywords: Cholesterol; Dyslipidemia; Rheumatoid Arthritis