Assessment of Current Trends in Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Male Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Introduction: Role of gender in development of an autoimmune dysfunction in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is very complex and therefore novel concept of gender medicine has come into limelight. Aim: To assess current trends in demographic and clinical characteristics of male patients with RA. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted among patients with RA attending Outpatient Department of Rheumatology at Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital cum medical Research Institute, Jaipur and Centre for Arthritis and Autoimmune Rheumatic Disorders, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, during April 2015 to April 2021. Men who qualified the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA were included in this study. The medical records of patients were reviewed for collecting demographic and clinical characteristics, disease activity, disease duration, deformities, extra articular manifestations, and co-morbid illness. Results: A total of 179 men were enrolled, and the mean age was 45.3±11.1 years. The majority of patients had severe disease with more than two years of disease duration. Subcutaneous nodule (27.8%) was most frequently observed extra-articular manifestations. Rheumatoid factor positivity and cyclic citrullinated peptide were prevalent in 107 and 110 patients, respectively. Osteoporosis (21.1%) and hypertension (19.2%) were the most common comorbidities and majority of patients reported wrist deformities. Conclusion: Overall observations indicate the presence of subcutaneous nodule as the common extra-articular manifestation with more than 2 years of disease duration, osteoporosis and hypertension as the most common co-morbidities; and high prevalence of wrist deformities in male patients with RA.