Cross-sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Background This study aimed to assess the association between social factors, demographic parameters, and disease activity among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Methods The University of Pittsburgh Rheumatoid Arthritis Comparative Effectiveness Research (RACER) registry was used for thi...

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Автори: Lei Zhu, Larry W. Moreland, Dana Ascherman
Формат: Стаття
Мова:English
Опубліковано: BMC 2024-01-01
Серія:BMC Rheumatology
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Онлайн доступ:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41927-023-00371-6
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author Lei Zhu
Larry W. Moreland
Dana Ascherman
author_facet Lei Zhu
Larry W. Moreland
Dana Ascherman
author_sort Lei Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background This study aimed to assess the association between social factors, demographic parameters, and disease activity among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Methods The University of Pittsburgh Rheumatoid Arthritis Comparative Effectiveness Research (RACER) registry was used for this study and included patients meeting 1987 ACR criteria for RA enrolled between 2010–2015. The registry collected clinical and laboratory data at each visit, permitting the calculation of disease activity measures that included Disease Activity 28-C Reactive Protein (DAS28-CRP). The current study was conducted as a cross-sectional study in which baseline data were used to construct multiple logistic regression models assessing the relationship between disease activity measures (DAS28-CRP), functional capacity (health assessment questionnaire (HAQ)), selected demographic and social factors (occupation, education, income, marital status, race, gender, age, and BMI), and clinical/laboratory variables. Results The analyses included 729 patients with baseline DAS28-CRP and social/demographic data. The mean age at enrollment was 59.5 (Standard Deviation (SD) = 12.7) years, 78% were female, and the median RA disease duration was 9.8 (Interquartile Range (IQR): 3.7, 19.1) years. We dichotomized the DAS28-CRP score and defined scores above or below 3.1 as high versus low RA disease activity. Most patients with high RA disease activity (N = 326, 45%) had less than a college degree (70%), were not working/retired/disabled (71%), and had an annual income under $50 K (55%). We found that higher body mass index (BMI) (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01—1.08), longer disease duration (> 2 and < 10 years versus ≤ 2 years of disease) (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.25—0.78), and being retired (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.02—2.98) were associated with RA disease activity. Conclusion Increased RA activity may be associated with various social factors, potentially leading to more severe and debilitating disease outcomes. These findings provide evidence to support efforts to monitor disparities and achieve health equity in RA.
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spelling doaj.art-db8b233a309e4ed48ab8daa5b053b3542024-01-21T12:39:22ZengBMCBMC Rheumatology2520-10262024-01-01811910.1186/s41927-023-00371-6Cross-sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritisLei Zhu0Larry W. Moreland1Dana Ascherman2Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, School of Medicine, University of PittsburghDivision of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, and Orthopedics, University of ColoradoDivision of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, School of Medicine, University of PittsburghAbstract Background This study aimed to assess the association between social factors, demographic parameters, and disease activity among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Methods The University of Pittsburgh Rheumatoid Arthritis Comparative Effectiveness Research (RACER) registry was used for this study and included patients meeting 1987 ACR criteria for RA enrolled between 2010–2015. The registry collected clinical and laboratory data at each visit, permitting the calculation of disease activity measures that included Disease Activity 28-C Reactive Protein (DAS28-CRP). The current study was conducted as a cross-sectional study in which baseline data were used to construct multiple logistic regression models assessing the relationship between disease activity measures (DAS28-CRP), functional capacity (health assessment questionnaire (HAQ)), selected demographic and social factors (occupation, education, income, marital status, race, gender, age, and BMI), and clinical/laboratory variables. Results The analyses included 729 patients with baseline DAS28-CRP and social/demographic data. The mean age at enrollment was 59.5 (Standard Deviation (SD) = 12.7) years, 78% were female, and the median RA disease duration was 9.8 (Interquartile Range (IQR): 3.7, 19.1) years. We dichotomized the DAS28-CRP score and defined scores above or below 3.1 as high versus low RA disease activity. Most patients with high RA disease activity (N = 326, 45%) had less than a college degree (70%), were not working/retired/disabled (71%), and had an annual income under $50 K (55%). We found that higher body mass index (BMI) (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01—1.08), longer disease duration (> 2 and < 10 years versus ≤ 2 years of disease) (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.25—0.78), and being retired (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.02—2.98) were associated with RA disease activity. Conclusion Increased RA activity may be associated with various social factors, potentially leading to more severe and debilitating disease outcomes. These findings provide evidence to support efforts to monitor disparities and achieve health equity in RA.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41927-023-00371-6Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)Disease activityDisease activity-C reactive protein (DAS28-CRP)Health assessment questionnaire (HAQ)Social context
spellingShingle Lei Zhu
Larry W. Moreland
Dana Ascherman
Cross-sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
BMC Rheumatology
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Disease activity
Disease activity-C reactive protein (DAS28-CRP)
Health assessment questionnaire (HAQ)
Social context
title Cross-sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
title_full Cross-sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
title_fullStr Cross-sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
title_full_unstemmed Cross-sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
title_short Cross-sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
title_sort cross sectional association between social and demographic factors and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
topic Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Disease activity
Disease activity-C reactive protein (DAS28-CRP)
Health assessment questionnaire (HAQ)
Social context
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41927-023-00371-6
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AT danaascherman crosssectionalassociationbetweensocialanddemographicfactorsanddiseaseactivityinrheumatoidarthritis