Ning‑Sheng Laia,b,†, Chun‑Lung Wangc,†, Ming‑Chi Lua,b, Malcolm Kood,e*
aDivision of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Dalin, Chiayi, Taiwan, bSchool of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, cDivision of Pediatrics, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Dalin, Chiayi, Taiwan, dDepartment of Medical Research, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Dalin, Chiayi, Taiwan, eDalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Open Access funded by Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cardiovascular comorbidities, including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, in Taiwanese patients based on the data from medical records. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed using the computerized medical records from a regional hospital located in southern Taiwan. A total of 2293 patients (age range 30–79 years) with a diagnosis of RA (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 714.0) treated since the opening of the study hospital in July 2000 until February 2013 were included. The RA cases were frequency matched for age and sex with 9172 patients without RA. The associations of RA with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes were evaluated using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Significant associations between RA and hyperlipidemia (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.77–2.38, P < 0.001) and hypertension (adjusted OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 2.43–3.14, P < 0.001) were observed. However, diabetes was not significantly associated with RA in either male or female patients. Conclusion: Findings from this retrospective medical record study indicated that hyperlipidemia and hypertension were significant cardiovascular comorbidities of RA.
Keywords: Hyperlipidemias, Hypertension, Medical records, Rheumatoid arthritis
