EXTRA-ARTICULAR MANIFESTATIONS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Despite the predominant osteoarticular and periarticular manifestations, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease, oftenassociated with extra-articular manifestations. The present study was aimed to assess extra-articular manifestations among patients who werediagnosed with RAand to also assess patient related factors associated with the presence of extra-articular manifestations.Methodology: We included 50 patients with RA, with a disease duration of more than 5 years and those who took at least 3-year treatment withdisease modifying agents. Extra-articular complications were diagnosed clinically and laboratory conrmation was done as deemed necessary bythe treating physician. Disease characteristics including deformities or other morbidities and associated complications were recorded.Results: Of the 50 patients included in the study, mean age of the patients was 53.4 years and 14 patients (28%) had any kind of extra-articularmanifestation. The most common extra-articular manifestation was Secondary Sjogren's Syndrome (22%), osteoporosis (18%) and instestitiallung disease (15.5%). Less common extra-articular manifestations were nodules (12%), bromyalgia (10%), coronary artery disease (8%),peripheral neuropathy (6%), vasculitis (3%), eye manifestations (2%), malignancy (1%) and amyloidosis (1%). Increasing age, disease durationand severity as assessed by Disease Activity Score were found to be signicantly associated with the presence of extra-articular manifestation.Conclusions: Our study found that extra-articular manifestations among RA patients were found to have a signicant association with manypatient-related variables like age, disease duration and disease severity