Impaired renal functions in Pakistani cohort of rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of impaired renal functions and hypertension in rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: This study was conducted between May 1(st) 2018 to February 1(st) 2019 at Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine Central Park Medical College Lahore, total 260 study participants were selected, demographic detail were asked in detail, disease duration of RA and hypertension, DMARD’s, self-use NSAID’s,/hakeem medications, smoking were asked in detail, BMI and blood pressure were measured,5 ml of blood was taken by trained phlebotomist, and sent for the estimation of serum urea and creatinine on (COBAS-III) machine, after availability of results each individuals eGFR (creatinine clearance) was calculated by Cockroft Gualt((CG)) and Modification in diet in renal disease method (MDRD). RESULTS: In this study the mean age of study participants was 42.4 (± 9.5) years with disease duration of 7.7(±4.8) years, prevalence of Impaired renal functions of 14.6% (n=38) and hypertension in 53.5% (n=139).Regression analysis shows there is significant association between hypertension, smoking and self/hakeem medications with impaired renal functions (p-0.5). Kappa analysis shows both (MDRD & CG methods) had uniformity in picking up cases of impaired renal functions 75.6% (p-0.05). CONCLUSION: In RA decline in renal functions is seen with self-use NSAID’s/hakeem medications along with other modifiable factors like smoking and hypertension, while conventional DMARD’s don’t show association with decline. There is very high prevalence of hypertension in rheumatoid arthritis.