The Incidence of Anemia in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune, systemic disease that affects the joints. In RA, the body’s immune system destroy body’s tissue for a foreign invader. This leads immune system to attack the protective cushion of tissue and fluid between the joints. The result is swelling, stiffness, and pain in the joint.

The body’s misfiring immune system also may go after the body’s soft tissues, like cartilage, and organs such as the heart, eyes, and veins. Ultimately, RA can cause permanent damage, disability, and anemia. Evaluation of progress in RA and anemia control at the population level is increasingly important. It is not only a medical but also an economic issue, since the onset of the disease in most common cases is observed in people of working age [1,2].

Methods: Retrospective analysis representing in this article was performed through 1250 case histories of patients with RA who was received inpatient treatment in the Department of Rheumatology 3-clinic Tashkent Medical Academy (TMA) in period from January 2010 to January 2015. Authors analyzed spreading spectrum of anemia in RA patients via verified laboratory data. Authors studied the age and gender characteristics of patients with anemia that occurred after RA and the degree and severity of anemia.

Results: The results of the study showed that 1250 patients were treated with a diagnosis of RA, men were 116 (9.28%), women – 1134 (90.72%). Most patients were at the working age. According to the disease activity, patients separated into 3 degree. 140 (11.2%) of them were in I degree, and 834 (66.72%) in II degree and 276 (22.08%) in III degree. In most cases, the disease duration ranged from 1 to 5 years 418 (33.44%).

The results showed that 874 patients of the 1250 patients have a verified diagnosis of anemia as a comorbidity, which amounted to 69.92%. Almost two-thirds of patients with rheumatic pathology was found anemia varying degrees. Among them, women accounted for 71.7%, men were 28.3%.

Conclusion: Among patients with RA, the prevalence of anemia manifestations is relatively high. Leading cause of anemia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is iron deficiency anemia. The incidence of anemia is directly depends on the age of patients and duration of disease.