Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Diseases in Seronegative Spondyloarthropathy and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Comparative Study

Background: Spondyloarthritis (SpA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are ones of the most rheumatic diseases with chronic inflammatory damaging processes that have a great risk for metabolic syndrome (MS) and cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have indicated higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and mortality rates among these patients compared to the general population. Objective: To identify the prevalence and early detection of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in seronegative spondyloarthropathy and rheumatoid arthritis patients and their relation to disease activity. Patients and Methods: Our study was carried out on sixty rheumatoid arthritis patients (54 female and 6 males with mean age 46.7 ± 5.5 years) and sixty spondyloarthroapathy patients (27 female and 33 males with mean age 44.9 ± 5.9 years). Results: In RA group, there were 23 patients (38.3%) with metabolic syndrome and 37 patients (61.7%) without metabolic syndrome. In SPA group, there were 21 patients (35%) with metabolic syndrome and 39 patients (65%) without metabolic syndrome. There was no statistical significant difference (p-value > 0.05) between studied groups as regards metabolic syndrome prevalence. There was high statistical significant difference (p-value < 0.001) between patients with MS and patients without MS in RA group regarding age, duration, BMI, FBS, ESR, CRP and DAS28. High statistical significant difference (p-value < 0.001) was detected between patients with MS and patients without MS in SPA group as regards duration, BMI, FBS and BASDI. There was increase in cIMT in RA (0.8 ± 0.2) and SPA groups (0.7 ± 0.1) with high statistical significant difference (p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: MS prevalence increased in patients with RA and SPA, whereas the cardiovascular risks increased in RA patients. The disease activity of both were associated with metabolic syndrome, implicating the role of chronic inflammation in metabolic syndrome development.