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Buckman TA, Sakyi SA, Yeboah-Mensah K, Antwi MH, Darban I, Owusu-Brenya L, Yorke J, Boateng AO, Senu E, Dompreh A, Addei AM, Boateng R, Yankey O, Tandoh S. Demographic, Clinical Profile of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients and Their Association with Disease Severity in Ghana. Int J Rheumatol 2024; 2024:6639079. [PMID: 38249778 PMCID: PMC10798837 DOI: 10.1155/2024/6639079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the frequent chronic, systemic, inflammatory autoimmune disorders with an estimated global prevalence of 1%. RA leads to joint destruction and disability if left untreated. Ghana has seen very few studies on RA, and little is known about the disease's severity and related variables. This study sought to characterize the clinical presentation and determine disease severity and associated risk factors with disease severity among RA patients in a tertiary hospital in Ghana. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2020 and August 2021. This study included 56 consecutively consenting RA patients from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital orthopaedic unit. Diagnosis of RA was based on the updated American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) 2022 rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria by a rheumatologist. A study questionnaire was used to gather participant demographics and clinical features, and results from the laboratory were taken from the patients' charts and medical records. The patients' disease severity was evaluated based on the rheumatoid arthritis disease activity score, which is based on a 28-joint count (DAS28), and their functioning was evaluated using the modified health assessment questionnaire. Results The participants' mean age was 51.25 ± 13.22 years. Out of the total participants, 46 were females, and 10 were males (female-to-male ratio 4.6 : 1). Moreover, 37.50% had arthritis of the hand; 5.30% had severe disease, and 94.60% were not severe. A majority (76.80%) were on methotrexate medication. The most frequently involved joints were the knee (42.90%), wrist (32.10%), and elbow (12.50%). There was no statistically significant association with disease severity and a functional status score of >0.5 (cOR: 10.60, 95% CI (0.52-217.30); p = 0.124). In addition, marital status (p = 0.04), disease duration (p = 0.04), family complaints (p = 0.02), and ESR (p = 0.03) were significantly associated with disease severity. Conclusion RA is predominant among elder populations and females. Disease duration, family complaints, and ESR are associated with disease severity. The findings of this study call for interventions towards ensuring early diagnosis of RA among high-risk populations to enhance good management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonnies Abeku Buckman
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, KAAF University College, Buduburam-Gomoa East District, Ghana
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Samuel Asamoah Sakyi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | | | - Maxwell Hubert Antwi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Koforidua Technical University, Koforidua, Ghana
| | - Isaac Darban
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Koforidua Technical University, Koforidua, Ghana
| | - Lawrence Owusu-Brenya
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Joseph Yorke
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Andy Opoku Boateng
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ebenezer Senu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Albert Dompreh
- Department of Microbiology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Akwasi Minnah Addei
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Richard Boateng
- Department of Microbiology, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Ortis Yankey
- School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Samuel Tandoh
- University Clinic, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
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Harnden K, Di Matteo A, Mankia K. When and how should we use imaging in individuals at risk of rheumatoid arthritis? Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1058510. [PMID: 36507546 PMCID: PMC9726914 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1058510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years rheumatologists have begun to shift focus from early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to studying individuals at risk of developing the disease. It is now possible to use blood, clinical and imaging biomarkers to identify those at risk of progression before the onset of clinical synovitis. The use of imaging, in particular ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has become much more widespread in individuals at-risk of RA. Numerous studies have demonstrated that imaging can help us understand RA pathogenesis as well as identifying individuals at high risk of progression. In addition, imaging techniques are becoming more sophisticated with newer imaging modalities such as high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQRCT), nuclear imaging and whole body-MRI (WB-MRI) starting to emerge. Imaging studies in at risk individuals are heterogeneous in nature due to the different at-risk populations, imaging modalities and protocols used. This review will explore the available imaging modalities and the rationale for their use in the main populations at risk of RA.
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