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Relationship between metabolic syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis

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Created On: 19/02/2020

Relationship between metabolic syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis

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Key take away

Metabolic syndrome (Mets) refers to a clustering of specific cardiovascular (CV) disease risk factors including central obesity, hypertension, high triglycerides, and low HDL levels whose underlying pathophysiology is thought to be related to insulin resistance. As epidemiologic data suggest that RA is an independent risk factor for CV disease, a useful conclusion was drawn to depict the relationship between RA and Mets which is based on Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and metabolic syndrome (Mets) are considered to be diseases with common traits that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease incidence; studies in other countries examined the relationship between these diseases. However, existing studies did not show consistent results. In the present study, the relationship between RA and Mets in Koreans was examined using the data of the 4th and 5th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

Method

The present study used the data of the 4th and 5th KNHANES, conducted between 2007 and 2012.Among 25,812 adults aged over 40, 19,893 were selected as study subjects, excluding 5,919 who did not have variable information needed for the analysis. T-test and chi-square test were used for the analysis of related variables. To determine the relationship between diagnostic status of RA and Mets, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed by controlling confounding variables, which were selected through literature review and statistical analysis.

Result

Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between diagnostic status of RA and Mets. When age, education level, average monthly household income, smoking, alcohol consumption, and level of physical activity were adjusted, the prevalence of Mets was lower in RA patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65 to 0.96). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between treatment status of RA and Mets. When age, education level, average monthly household income, smoking, alcohol consumption, and level of physical activity were adjusted, there was a significant negative correlation in women (aOR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.96).

Conclusion

The relationship between RA and Mets showed a significantly negative correlation in Korean women. The group that received RA treatment showed significantly lower prevalence of the Mets as compared to the untreated group in Korean RA women.