Association between Treatment Factors and Metabolic syndrome in Iraqi Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a systemic disease characterized by massive joint destruction and deformity. The disease leads to increased morbidity and mortality especially if associated with other diseases like Metabolic Syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors caused by abdominal obesity, such as hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and insulin resistance. Rheumatoid arthritis has been found to be associated with metabolic syndrome. The present paper aims to assess the correlation between metabolic syndrome and different treatment modalities like steroids or methotrexate that are used to treat Iraqi patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Keywords: metabolic syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, steroids, methotrexate