Risk of cardiovascular disease in patients of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) presenting in a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan

Amjad Nasim; Muhammad Salman Mushtaq; Babur Salim; Saba Samreen; Haris Gul

Abstract:

Objective: To assess the cardio vascular disease (CVD) risk using framingham risk score and frequency of other co-morbidities associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Rheumatology department of Fauji foundation hospital (FFH), Rawalpindi. The duration of the study was six months, from Nov 2017 to Apr 2018. Material and Methods: RA Patients between 40 to 80 years of age were selected from rheumatology outpatient department (OPD) at Fauji Foundation Hospital (FFH) Rawalpindi. After 12 hours of fasting, venous blood was taken for total serum cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL) and ESR (mm/1st hour). Framingham risk score was calculated using online calculator and it was multiplied by a factor 1.5 as per European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations to find the correct cardiovascular risk. This gave us 10 year cardiovascular risk in each RA patient.

research from:

• Foundation University Medical College

Year:

2018

Type of Publication:

Article

Journal:

Pakistan Armed Force Medical Journal

Volume:

68

Number:

6

Pages:

-

Month:

2