Scholarlink

Background <p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular events. This study aims to assess the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its associated risk factors among Palestinian patients with RA, a population for which this data has been lacking.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to September 2024 at multiple rheumatology clinics in the West Bank, Palestine. The study included 384 patients with a confirmed RA diagnosis based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and RA-specific factors, including disease activity measured by the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Multivariable analysis was used to identify independent predictors of CAD.</p> Results <p>The prevalence of CAD in this cohort was 25.5%. Multivariable analysis revealed that CAD was independently predicted by increasing age, dyslipidemia, and a first-degree family history of CAD. Markers of systemic inflammation, specifically higher disease activity (DAS28 Prevalence Ratio = 1.309) and elevated CRP levels (PR up to 2.108 for levels &gt; 10&#xa0;mg/L), also emerged as potent and independent predictors. Furthermore, a paradoxical, non-linear association was observed with anti-CCP antibody status, where low-positive titers conferred the highest risk (PR = 1.811), and a modest inverse association with BMI was noted (PR = 0.992), consistent with the ‘obesity paradox’.</p> Conclusion <p>This study reveals a high prevalence of CAD among Palestinian patients with RA, driven by both traditional metabolic risk factors and RA-related systemic inflammation. The findings highlight an urgent need to integrate proactive cardiovascular disease prevention into the standard of care for RA in Palestine, recognizing RA as a cardiovascular risk-equivalent condition.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

The prevalence of coronary artery disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients in Palestine: a cross-sectional study

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月20日

查看全文
  • Rami Shrouf,
  • Aleen Aldabbas,
  • Razan Sobeih,
  • Talal Asafrah,
  • Sameh Issa,
  • Dunia Salhab,
  • Osama Ewidat,
  • Nuha Riyad,
  • Mohammed Alzer’e,
  • Abrar Khdour,
  • Ahmad Fasfoos,
  • Saed Atawnah

摘要

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular events. This study aims to assess the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its associated risk factors among Palestinian patients with RA, a population for which this data has been lacking.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to September 2024 at multiple rheumatology clinics in the West Bank, Palestine. The study included 384 patients with a confirmed RA diagnosis based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and RA-specific factors, including disease activity measured by the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Multivariable analysis was used to identify independent predictors of CAD.

Results

The prevalence of CAD in this cohort was 25.5%. Multivariable analysis revealed that CAD was independently predicted by increasing age, dyslipidemia, and a first-degree family history of CAD. Markers of systemic inflammation, specifically higher disease activity (DAS28 Prevalence Ratio = 1.309) and elevated CRP levels (PR up to 2.108 for levels > 10 mg/L), also emerged as potent and independent predictors. Furthermore, a paradoxical, non-linear association was observed with anti-CCP antibody status, where low-positive titers conferred the highest risk (PR = 1.811), and a modest inverse association with BMI was noted (PR = 0.992), consistent with the ‘obesity paradox’.

Conclusion

This study reveals a high prevalence of CAD among Palestinian patients with RA, driven by both traditional metabolic risk factors and RA-related systemic inflammation. The findings highlight an urgent need to integrate proactive cardiovascular disease prevention into the standard of care for RA in Palestine, recognizing RA as a cardiovascular risk-equivalent condition.