title: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Algerian rheumatoid arthritis patients. Correlation with disease activity and functional status.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is evidence that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have an over-risk of cardiovascular disease. This may be mainly due to an increase in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The prevalence of MetS among adults in Algeria is 19.1%.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of MetS among RA patients in Algeria. Another aim was to evaluate the relationship between MetS, inflammation biomarkers and disease scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on a cohort of 249 patients meeting the ACR/EULAR criteria for RA, followed in 11 Algerian centers. The diagnosis of MetS was based on the NCEP/ATP III (MetS+ if ≥3/5) definition. Prevalence of MetS was calculated, and patients were divided in two groups (MetS+ and MetS-). Comparison between the groups was performed using a t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 249 RA patients, 213 were females and 36 males of a mean age of 50.1±14.5years and a mean disease duration of 8.4±7.8years. The overall prevalence of MetS was 13.9% (CI95%: 9.5-20.1%); it was 14.3% in males and 13.8% in females. The ESR level was significantly higher in MetS+ patients than in MetS- patients (p=0.036).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this multicenter study, unlike most studies on RA patients, the prevalence of MetS was as not higher in Algerian RA patients (13.9%) than in the Algerian general population (19.1%). Only ESR levels correlate with the presence of MetS, this may be due to the modest cohort size and needs to be confirmed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hadj Lakhdar University, Batna, Algeria. Electronic address: slimani@dr.com.
authors.forename: Samy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Slimani
authors.affiliation: Medical Office, M'sila, Algeria.
authors.forename: Abdelmalek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, EPH El Berrouaghia, Medea, Algeria.
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben Ammar
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, EHS Ben Aknoun, Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Fadia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rahal
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, EHS Ben Aknoun, Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Imene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Khider
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, EPH Ain El Fakroun, Oum El Bouaghi, Algeria.
authors.forename: Khireddine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khelif
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, EHS Ben Aknoun, Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Aicha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ladjouze-Rezig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000462:Algeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Algeria; Disease activity; Metabolic syndrome; Rheumatoid arthritis