Characteristics of Anemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory, chronic and systemic disease that primarily affects the synovial joints. Anemia is a common extra-articular manifestation in the absence of an effective treatment. The main mechanisms involved include shortening the lifespan of erythrocytes, inadequate b...

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Main Authors: Anca BOBIRCA, Anca-Teodora FLORESCU, Cristina ALEXANDRU, Florin-Teodor BOBIRCA, Dan MARINESCU, Anca MUSETESCU, Mihai BOJINCA, Ioan ANCUTA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Media Med Publicis 2022-09-01
Series:Modern Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://medicinamoderna.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Characteristics-of-Anemia-in-Rheumatoid-Arthritis.pdf
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author Anca BOBIRCA
Anca-Teodora FLORESCU
Cristina ALEXANDRU
Florin-Teodor BOBIRCA
Dan MARINESCU
Anca MUSETESCU
Mihai BOJINCA
Ioan ANCUTA
author_facet Anca BOBIRCA
Anca-Teodora FLORESCU
Cristina ALEXANDRU
Florin-Teodor BOBIRCA
Dan MARINESCU
Anca MUSETESCU
Mihai BOJINCA
Ioan ANCUTA
author_sort Anca BOBIRCA
collection DOAJ
description Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory, chronic and systemic disease that primarily affects the synovial joints. Anemia is a common extra-articular manifestation in the absence of an effective treatment. The main mechanisms involved include shortening the lifespan of erythrocytes, inadequate bone marrow and abnormalities in iron metabolism. Eighty-eight patients over 18 years with definite diagnosis of rheumatoid were included in this study. The prevalence, respectively the characteristics of anemia were analyzed, together with demographic data, the type of symptoms, the type of comorbidities, the hematological indices and treatments. The mean age of the study population was 65.31 ± 12.57 years. Treat to target was achieved in one third of the patients (36.4%). The prevalence of anemia was 55% with higher prevalence in males (57%) than females (50%). Anemia was associated with higher disease activity (p=0.036). Out of the anemic patients, 7.14% had megaloblastic anemia, 40.48% had anemia of chronic disease and 21.43% suffered from iron deficiency anemia. Microcytic normochromic and normocytic hypochromic patterns can have mixed causes, belonging to both iron-pathophysiological processes and chronic inflammation. The prevalence of anemia at the 1-year check-up was 29.44% and the percentage of patients who achieved treat-to-target goals increased from 36.40% to 40.90%. The majority (48.80%) did not prove to have anemia neither at admission nor at follow-up. The results of the study suggest that anemic patients tend to have a higher level of RA activity, therefore screening for anemic syndrome should be part of the management of these patients, in an effort to establish the best therapeutic conduct.
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spelling doaj.art-6e24bced44e24179a450b8cc666064a72022-12-22T03:51:41ZengMedia Med PublicisModern Medicine1223-04722360-24732022-09-01293205211https://doi.org/10.31689/rmm.2022.29.3.205Characteristics of Anemia in Rheumatoid ArthritisAnca BOBIRCA0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6662-7354Anca-Teodora FLORESCU1Cristina ALEXANDRU2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7053-7530Florin-Teodor BOBIRCA3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8944-3857Dan MARINESCU4Anca MUSETESCU5Mihai BOJINCA6Ioan ANCUTA7„Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Rheumatology, Dr. I. Cantacuzino Hospital, Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Rheumatology, Dr. I. Cantacuzino Hospital, Bucharest, Romania„Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania„Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Rheumatology, Dr. I. Cantacuzino Hospital, Bucharest, Romania„Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania„Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, RomaniaRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory, chronic and systemic disease that primarily affects the synovial joints. Anemia is a common extra-articular manifestation in the absence of an effective treatment. The main mechanisms involved include shortening the lifespan of erythrocytes, inadequate bone marrow and abnormalities in iron metabolism. Eighty-eight patients over 18 years with definite diagnosis of rheumatoid were included in this study. The prevalence, respectively the characteristics of anemia were analyzed, together with demographic data, the type of symptoms, the type of comorbidities, the hematological indices and treatments. The mean age of the study population was 65.31 ± 12.57 years. Treat to target was achieved in one third of the patients (36.4%). The prevalence of anemia was 55% with higher prevalence in males (57%) than females (50%). Anemia was associated with higher disease activity (p=0.036). Out of the anemic patients, 7.14% had megaloblastic anemia, 40.48% had anemia of chronic disease and 21.43% suffered from iron deficiency anemia. Microcytic normochromic and normocytic hypochromic patterns can have mixed causes, belonging to both iron-pathophysiological processes and chronic inflammation. The prevalence of anemia at the 1-year check-up was 29.44% and the percentage of patients who achieved treat-to-target goals increased from 36.40% to 40.90%. The majority (48.80%) did not prove to have anemia neither at admission nor at follow-up. The results of the study suggest that anemic patients tend to have a higher level of RA activity, therefore screening for anemic syndrome should be part of the management of these patients, in an effort to establish the best therapeutic conduct.https://medicinamoderna.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Characteristics-of-Anemia-in-Rheumatoid-Arthritis.pdfanemiarheumatoid arthritisdas28-crp
spellingShingle Anca BOBIRCA
Anca-Teodora FLORESCU
Cristina ALEXANDRU
Florin-Teodor BOBIRCA
Dan MARINESCU
Anca MUSETESCU
Mihai BOJINCA
Ioan ANCUTA
Characteristics of Anemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Modern Medicine
anemia
rheumatoid arthritis
das28-crp
title Characteristics of Anemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_full Characteristics of Anemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_fullStr Characteristics of Anemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_full_unstemmed Characteristics of Anemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_short Characteristics of Anemia in Rheumatoid Arthritis
title_sort characteristics of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis
topic anemia
rheumatoid arthritis
das28-crp
url https://medicinamoderna.ro/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Characteristics-of-Anemia-in-Rheumatoid-Arthritis.pdf
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