Demographic and Clinical Patterns of Rheumatoid Arthritis in an Emirati Cohort from United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the demographic and clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Emirati patients attending Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a large tertiary center in the Middle East. In this study, 414 Emirati patients with RA were evaluated over a 3-year period from April 2015 to April 2018. All patients fulfilled the 2010 RA ACR/EULAR criteria and were assessed for demographic and clinical characteristics. The estimated RA prevalence rate in our population cohort was 2.72%. Females showed predominance (80%) with a higher body mass index (31.4 ± 6.61, P = 0.0001) compared to males (28.8 ± 6.03, P = 0.0001). The most frequent comorbidity observed was dyslipidemia (43.5%) followed by hypertension (37.9%), diabetes mellitus (34.5%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (33.1%). Xerophthalmia was the most frequent extra-articular manifestation. Rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated peptide were detected in 63.3% and 41.5% patients, respectively, while both were present in 33.3% of patients. Methotrexate, adalimumab, and rituximab were the most frequently prescribed disease modifying agents. In this study, we describe disease features that are unique to United Arab Emirates (UAE) patients and demonstrate that RA has a significant disease burden. Our findings highlight the need for a RA national registry to improve the quality of care of these patients in UAE.

Figure 1

Citizenship of participants (n, %).

Figure 2

Comorbidities of participants. CAD, coronary artery disease; COPD, chronic obstructive airway disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; HYPT, hypertension.

Figure 3

Extra articular manifestations. LGL, T-cell large granular lymphocyte leukemia; RA, rheumatoid arthritis.

Figure 4

Autoimmune profile of participants. ANA, antinuclear antibody; Anti SM, anti-Smith antibodies; CCP, cyclic citrullinated peptide; dsDNA, double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; RF, rheumatoid factor; SSA, Sjögren syndrome-related antigen A; SSB, Sjögren syndrome type B antigen.