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Differences in the prevalence and characteristics of metabolic syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis: a multicentric study

Rheumatology International volume 35, pages 2047–2057 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine whether rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) than osteoarthritis (OA) patients in association with a higher level of chronic systemic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. A total of 583 RA and 344 OA outpatients were analyzed in this multicentric study. Metabolic syndrome was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. A 1.6-fold higher prevalence of MetS was found in patients with OA compared with the RA patients. Among the parameters of MetS, patients with OA had significantly higher levels of waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and triglycerides, whereas HDL cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure values were similar in both groups of patients. Higher values of inflammatory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)] in MetS than in non-MetS patients and higher prevalence of MetS in patients with CRP level ≥5 mg/L in both RA and OA patients were found. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, significant predictors of MetS were type of arthritis (OA vs. RA; OR 2.5 [95 % CI 1.82–3.43]), age (OR 1.04 [95 % CI 1.03–1.06]) and ESR (OR 1.01; [95 % CI 1.00–1.01]). The significant association between OA and MetS was maintained in the regression model that controlled for body mass index (OR 1.87 [95 % CI 1.34–2.61]). The present analysis suggests that OA is associated with an increased risk of MetS, which may be due to a common underlying pathogenic mechanism.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport, the Republic of Croatia (198-1081874-0183) to Jadranka Morović-Vergles).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical standard

A written informed consent was obtained from all study participants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dubrava University Hospital, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Av. G. Šuška 6, 10 040, Zagreb, Croatia

    Lea Šalamon & Jadranka Morović-Vergles

  2. Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Split University Hospital, University of Split School of Medicine, Spinčićeva 1, 21000, Split, Croatia

    Daniela Marasović-Krstulović

  3. Hospital for Cardiac, Pulmonary and Rheumatic Rehabilitation, Talassotherapia, Ul. Maršala Tita 188, 51410, Opatija, Croatia

    Tatjana Kehler

  4. Department of Physical Medicine, Dubrava University Hospital, Av. G. Šuška 6, 10 040, Zagreb, Croatia

    Davorin Šakić & Olga Badovinac

  5. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Rheumatology, Split University Hospital, University of Split School of Medicine, Spinčićeva 1, 21000, Split, Croatia

    Tonko Vlak & Daniela Šošo

  6. Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka, University of Rijeka School of Medicine, Krešimirova 42, 51000, Rijeka, Croatia

    Srđan Novak

  7. Department for Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, School of Medicine University of Rijeka, Krešimirova 42, 51000, Rijeka, Croatia

    Nives Štiglić-Rogoznica & Doris Stamenković

  8. Department of Rheumatic Diseases, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, GH ‘‘Dr. Josip Benčević’’, Andrije Štampara 42, 35000, Slavonski Brod, Croatia

    Marino Hanih

  9. Department of Internal Medicine, Osijek University Hospital, Josipa Huttlera 4, 31000, Osijek, Croatia

    Dražen Bedeković, Jasminka Milas-Ahić & Višnja Prus

  10. Department of Rheumatology, Physical and Rehabilitation, Medicine, ‘‘Sisters of Charity’’ Clinical Hospital Center, Referral Center for Spondyloarthropathies, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Vinogradska Cesta 29, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Simeon Grazio

  11. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Osijek University Hospital, Josipa Huttlera 4, 31000, Osijek, Croatia

    Mira Kadojić

  12. Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Branimir Anić

  13. Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Zagreb Clinical Hospital Center, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Ðurđica Babić-Naglić

  14. Department of Pathophysiology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 3, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Stjepan Gamulin

Authors
  1. Lea Šalamon
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  2. Jadranka Morović-Vergles
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  3. Daniela Marasović-Krstulović
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  4. Tatjana Kehler
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  9. Nives Štiglić-Rogoznica
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  13. Mira Kadojić
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  14. Jasminka Milas-Ahić
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  17. Daniela Šošo
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  18. Branimir Anić
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  19. Ðurđica Babić-Naglić
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  20. Stjepan Gamulin
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Correspondence to Lea Šalamon.

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Šalamon, L., Morović-Vergles, J., Marasović-Krstulović, D. et al. Differences in the prevalence and characteristics of metabolic syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis: a multicentric study. Rheumatol Int 35, 2047–2057 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-015-3307-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-015-3307-0

Keywords

  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Inflammation