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. 2018 Sep 6:2:25.
doi: 10.1186/s41927-018-0032-9. eCollection 2018.

Cardiovascular risk management in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis: online survey results from a national cohort study

Premarani Sinnathurai  1   2   3 , Alexandra Capon  2 , Rachelle Buchbinder  4   5 , Vibhasha Chand  6 , Lyndall Henderson  3 , Marissa Lassere  7   8 , Lyn March  1   2   3
Affiliations

Cardiovascular risk management in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis: online survey results from a national cohort study

Premarani Sinnathurai et al. BMC Rheumatol. .

Abstract

Background: Chronic inflammatory arthritis is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Pharmacological management and healthy lifestyle modification is recommended to manage these risks, but it is not known how often these are utilised and whether there is any difference in their use between patients with different types of arthritis. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the proportion of participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) receiving pharmacological or lifestyle management strategies for CV risk factors. The secondary objective was to identify factors associated with use of management strategies.

Methods: A survey was sent to online participants in the Australian Rheumatology Association Database, a voluntary national registry for inflammatory arthritis. Participants were asked whether they took medications for hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and diabetes, and to report their height, weight, level of physical activity, and dietary changes made. The use of management strategies was compared between participants with RA and PsA. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with physical activity and dietary changes.

Results: There were 858 respondents with RA and 161 with PsA (response rate 64.5%). Pharmacological treatment was reported by 93% of participants with hypertension and 70% with hyperlipidaemia. All participants with diabetes reported being managed with dietary modification, pharmacological treatment, or a combination of both. Adequate physical activity was reported by 50.8%. Only 27% of overweight or obese participants reported making any dietary change for their health in the past year. There was no difference between RA and PsA in reported utilisation of management strategies. Hyperlipidaemia and being overweight were associated with making dietary change. Obesity and arthritis disease activity were negatively associated with physical activity.

Conclusions: Most participants with RA and PsA reported using pharmacological treatment for CV risk factors. Relatively few reported using lifestyle modifications. Targeted lifestyle interventions should be implemented for RA and PsA patients.

Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases; Diet; Medications; Physical activity; Psoriatic arthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Twenty ethics committees and organisations have granted approval for ARAD across each state in Australia (New South Wales: Northern Sydney Local Health District, Cancer Council NSW; Victoria: Cabrini Health, Monash University, Royal Children’s Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital, Cancer Council Victoria; Queensland: Queensland Government; South Australia: The South Australian Department of Health and Ageing, Women’s and Children’s Hospital SA Health Network; Western Australia: Department of Health WA, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Rockingham General Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, Southern Metropolitan Health Service, Government of WA; Tasmania: Tasmania Health, University of Tasmania; the Australian Capital Territory: ACT Health and Community Care). Approval has also been granted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Australian Government Department of Health and the Department of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, the cancer registry in each state (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory) and the National Cancer Statistics Clearing House. Ethical approval was obtained for an additional Heart Health Survey to be sent to ARAD participants. All participants provide written informed consent.Not applicable.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of participant inclusion from ARAD. ARAD: Australian Rheumatology Association Database, RA: rheumatoid arthritis, PsA: psoriatic arthritis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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