Insights into Rheumatoid Arthritis in Kuwait: The Prevalence of Comorbidities

Abstract

Introduction Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation and potential disability. (1). The relationship between comorbidities and RA is well-known and is associated with poor outcomes. (3,4, 5) Furthermore, patients with RA are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). (6) This study investigates the epidemiology of RA in Kuwait, focusing on the prevalence of comorbidities such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity using the Kuwait Rheumatoid Arthritis registry. Methods This retrospective study analyzes data from 2239 RA patients in Kuwait, enrolled from February 2012 to May 2024 Results As shown in Table 1, (71.0%) are females with a mean age of 55.6 years and a mean disease duration of 11.1 years. The average body mass index (BMI) is 29.2, with 39.2%% having a BMIˆ3 of 30 and 11.3% are active smokers. Analysis of comorbidities in RA patients shows that hypertension (23%) and diabetes Type 2 (20%) are the most prevalent conditions, followed by thyroid disease and hyperlipidemia (13%), as demonstrated in Figure 1. Conclusion This study reveals a high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and obesity, all of which are modifiable risk factors for CVD. This finding emphasizes the importance of pre-emptive screening for these comorbid conditions, establishing a comprehensive care plan, and optimizing treatment protocol to improve patient outcome.