Spectrum of and Factors Associated with Eye Disorders among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Tertiary Hospital in Uganda

Eunice Headcraph,1 Immaculate Atukunda,1 Mark Kaddumukasa,2 Lydia Nakiyingi,2 Rebecca Claire Lusobya,1 Anne Ampaire-Musika,1 Caroline Otike,3 Elizabeth Nagawa,1 Paul Juma,1 Fransisco Msonge,1 Juliet Otiti-Sengeri1 1Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Headcraph E, Atukunda I, Kaddumukasa M, Nakiyingi L, Lusobya RC, Ampaire-Musika A, Otike C, Nagawa E, Juma P, Msonge F, Otiti-Sengeri J
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2023-07-01
Series:Open Access Rheumatology: Research and Reviews
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/spectrum-of-and-factors-associated-with-eye-disorders-among-rheumatoid-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OARRR
_version_ 1797778463171543040
author Headcraph E
Atukunda I
Kaddumukasa M
Nakiyingi L
Lusobya RC
Ampaire-Musika A
Otike C
Nagawa E
Juma P
Msonge F
Otiti-Sengeri J
author_facet Headcraph E
Atukunda I
Kaddumukasa M
Nakiyingi L
Lusobya RC
Ampaire-Musika A
Otike C
Nagawa E
Juma P
Msonge F
Otiti-Sengeri J
author_sort Headcraph E
collection DOAJ
description Eunice Headcraph,1 Immaculate Atukunda,1 Mark Kaddumukasa,2 Lydia Nakiyingi,2 Rebecca Claire Lusobya,1 Anne Ampaire-Musika,1 Caroline Otike,3 Elizabeth Nagawa,1 Paul Juma,1 Fransisco Msonge,1 Juliet Otiti-Sengeri1 1Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; 2Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; 3Clinical Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, UgandaCorrespondence: Eunice Headcraph, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda, Tel +256783378619, Email euniceheadcraph@gmail.comBackground: Ocular morbidities associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have not received much attention in Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. They are among the commonest (40%) extra-articular organ involvement in RA. If undiagnosed, there is a potential risk of them causing visual impairment or blindness. There is no documented study in Uganda on the magnitude of eye disorders among RA patients.Aim: To determine the spectrum of eye disorders and associated factors among patients with RA attending Mulago National Referral Hospital.Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among adults with RA attending the rheumatology clinic between July 2021 and September 2021. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected, and ophthalmologic examinations were performed on all consenting participants. Modified Poisson regression with robust standard error was used to determine factors associated with eye disorders.Results: Overall, 105 patients with RA were enrolled, of which, 53 (50.5%) had eye disorders. The commonest disorder (54.7%, n=29) was dry-eye syndrome. Factors that were significantly associated with eye disorders were age 36– 55 years (aPR 1.56, p=0.015), duration of RA > 5 years (aPR 1.81, p=0.001), use of hydroxychloroquine > 5 years (aPR 1.77, p=0.041), dose of oral steroids > 10 mg/day (aPR 1.49, p=0.034), and history of both diabetes and hypertension (aPR 1.87, p=0.014).Conclusion: The prevalence of eye disorders among patients with RA was high, with the commonest being dry-eye syndrome. We recommend that ocular examinations be performed on every patient at the time of RA diagnosis for early detection of eye disorders.Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, eye disorders, sub-Saharan Africa
first_indexed 2024-03-12T23:18:38Z
format Article
id doaj.art-bc468817afba46d2bf6123c06e47b6a7
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1179-156X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T23:18:38Z
publishDate 2023-07-01
publisher Dove Medical Press
record_format Article
series Open Access Rheumatology: Research and Reviews
spelling doaj.art-bc468817afba46d2bf6123c06e47b6a72023-07-16T16:02:53ZengDove Medical PressOpen Access Rheumatology: Research and Reviews1179-156X2023-07-01Volume 1510311185120Spectrum of and Factors Associated with Eye Disorders among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Tertiary Hospital in UgandaHeadcraph EAtukunda IKaddumukasa MNakiyingi LLusobya RCAmpaire-Musika AOtike CNagawa EJuma PMsonge FOtiti-Sengeri JEunice Headcraph,1 Immaculate Atukunda,1 Mark Kaddumukasa,2 Lydia Nakiyingi,2 Rebecca Claire Lusobya,1 Anne Ampaire-Musika,1 Caroline Otike,3 Elizabeth Nagawa,1 Paul Juma,1 Fransisco Msonge,1 Juliet Otiti-Sengeri1 1Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; 2Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; 3Clinical Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, UgandaCorrespondence: Eunice Headcraph, Department of Ophthalmology, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda, Tel +256783378619, Email euniceheadcraph@gmail.comBackground: Ocular morbidities associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have not received much attention in Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. They are among the commonest (40%) extra-articular organ involvement in RA. If undiagnosed, there is a potential risk of them causing visual impairment or blindness. There is no documented study in Uganda on the magnitude of eye disorders among RA patients.Aim: To determine the spectrum of eye disorders and associated factors among patients with RA attending Mulago National Referral Hospital.Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among adults with RA attending the rheumatology clinic between July 2021 and September 2021. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected, and ophthalmologic examinations were performed on all consenting participants. Modified Poisson regression with robust standard error was used to determine factors associated with eye disorders.Results: Overall, 105 patients with RA were enrolled, of which, 53 (50.5%) had eye disorders. The commonest disorder (54.7%, n=29) was dry-eye syndrome. Factors that were significantly associated with eye disorders were age 36– 55 years (aPR 1.56, p=0.015), duration of RA > 5 years (aPR 1.81, p=0.001), use of hydroxychloroquine > 5 years (aPR 1.77, p=0.041), dose of oral steroids > 10 mg/day (aPR 1.49, p=0.034), and history of both diabetes and hypertension (aPR 1.87, p=0.014).Conclusion: The prevalence of eye disorders among patients with RA was high, with the commonest being dry-eye syndrome. We recommend that ocular examinations be performed on every patient at the time of RA diagnosis for early detection of eye disorders.Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, eye disorders, sub-Saharan Africahttps://www.dovepress.com/spectrum-of-and-factors-associated-with-eye-disorders-among-rheumatoid-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OARRRrheumatoid arthritiseye disorderssub-saharan africa.
spellingShingle Headcraph E
Atukunda I
Kaddumukasa M
Nakiyingi L
Lusobya RC
Ampaire-Musika A
Otike C
Nagawa E
Juma P
Msonge F
Otiti-Sengeri J
Spectrum of and Factors Associated with Eye Disorders among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Tertiary Hospital in Uganda
Open Access Rheumatology: Research and Reviews
rheumatoid arthritis
eye disorders
sub-saharan africa.
title Spectrum of and Factors Associated with Eye Disorders among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Tertiary Hospital in Uganda
title_full Spectrum of and Factors Associated with Eye Disorders among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Tertiary Hospital in Uganda
title_fullStr Spectrum of and Factors Associated with Eye Disorders among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Tertiary Hospital in Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Spectrum of and Factors Associated with Eye Disorders among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Tertiary Hospital in Uganda
title_short Spectrum of and Factors Associated with Eye Disorders among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Attending Tertiary Hospital in Uganda
title_sort spectrum of and factors associated with eye disorders among rheumatoid arthritis patients attending tertiary hospital in uganda
topic rheumatoid arthritis
eye disorders
sub-saharan africa.
url https://www.dovepress.com/spectrum-of-and-factors-associated-with-eye-disorders-among-rheumatoid-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OARRR
work_keys_str_mv AT headcraphe spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT atukundai spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT kaddumukasam spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT nakiyingil spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT lusobyarc spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT ampairemusikaa spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT otikec spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT nagawae spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT jumap spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT msongef spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda
AT otitisengerij spectrumofandfactorsassociatedwitheyedisordersamongrheumatoidarthritispatientsattendingtertiaryhospitalinuganda