Lebanese Hospital-Based Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry: Characteristics of Patients and Comparison with Other Populations

Houda Ziadeh; Monique Chaaya; Samar Rachidi; Khalil El Asmar; Amal Al-Hajje; Lamiaa Hamieh; Vicky Nahra; Imad Uthman

doi:10.31138/mjr.33.2.218

Lebanese Hospital-Based Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry: Characteristics of Patients and Comparison with Other Populations

Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2022 Jun 30;33(2):218-223. doi: 10.31138/mjr.33.2.218. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Authors

Houda Ziadeh¹, Monique Chaaya², Samar Rachidi³, Khalil El Asmar⁴, Amal Al-Hajje³, Lamiaa Hamieh⁴, Vicky Nahra⁵, Imad Uthman⁵

Affiliations

¹ Clinical and Epidemiological Research Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Doctoral School of Science and Technology, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
² Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
³ Clinical and Epidemiological Research Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy-Clinical Pharmacy Department, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
⁵ Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the Lebanese hospital-based Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) registry, initiated in 2011, is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of biologic agents among patients seeking care at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). We aimed to characterize the demographic and clinical profile of RA patients included in the Lebanese registry. We compared our results with those issued from Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern registries.

Methods: 195 Patients enrolled in the RA registry from 2011 to 2018 were considered in this study. Patients enrolled in the registry were eligible to be treated with biologics, but 56 patients remained biologics naïve. Patients were reassessed every six months.

Results: The highest proportion of patients were female (81%). The mean age was 55.53±15 years, and the disease duration was 11.38±7.7 years. RA was diagnosed at a mean age of 44.13±16 years. Almost one-third of RA patients were smokers (29.2%) and 15% consumed alcohol. Comorbidities included cardiac diseases (30.8%), hypertension (24.6%), hyperlipidemia (11.8%), diabetes mellitus (9.2%), and Hypothyroidism (6.2%). Three cases of cancer and seven cases of tuberculosis were reported. The mean of the Disease Activity Score (DAS28) was 3.75 ± 2.28 with no difference according to gender; the mean of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score showed a significant difference between females and males (1.02 ± 0.84 and 0.61 ± 0.7 respectively). Methotrexate was the most commonly used medication. There was non-significant difference in taking biologics according to gender.

Conclusion: Our findings are similar to other studies in terms of gender distribution. The higher mean age at diagnosis compared to other populations could indicate a delay in seeking appropriate care. The Lebanese RA registry provides valuable data on pharmacological interventions used and an opportunity to follow up to examine the effectiveness of different therapeutics and to monitor their side effects.

Keywords: AUBMC; Lebanon; RA Registry; biologic agents; rheumatoid Arthritis.