The Association between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

• Main Author: Perez Nieves, Magaly
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2015
• Subjects: Cardiovascular Disease; NHANES; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; Epidemiology
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1228; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2227&context=dissertations

A research report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that more than 50% of people with diabetes mellitus (DM) in the United States (U.S.) also have arthritis. The diabetes population is disproportionately affected by arthritis, but there has been limited and inconsistent research to confirm the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The current study aimed to identify an association between T2DM and RA for noninstitutionalized U.S. adults between 1999 and 2012 using a nationally representative sample from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database (n =31,488 ). A quantitative, cross-sectional investigation was conducted to determine if patients with T2DM had an increased prevalence of RA. The current study also sought to identify characteristics that could affect the association between both groups and the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in this population. Prevalence and adjusted odds ratios (OR) using logistic regression were calculated. The results show evidence of a strong association between T2DM and concomitant RA. Prevalence of RA was significantly higher in participants with T2DM compare to those without T2DM. Important factors in this association were gender, ethnicity, education, disability, and work functioning. The prevalence of CVD and adjusted OR of association were doubled in participants with T2DM and RA when compared to participants who had just one of the conditions; the OR of association was quadrupled when compared to those without this comorbidity. This study may provide patients and health care providers with a better understanding of the need for management of both conditions in a interdisciplinary manner