STUDY TO DETERMINE THE DISTRIBUTION PATTERN AND PREVALENCE OF RHEUMATOLOGICAL DISORDERS

Aims: To assess the frequency and distribution of rheumatic diseases in a rheumatology department of a tertiary care hospital.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Rheumatology department of Jinnah Hospital, Lahore for two-years from 2018 to June 2020. The diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical criteria supplemented with the necessary tests.

Results: The total number of patients was 772, with the majority of women (F: M ratio 1.3: 1). The mean age was 46.9 (range 13-83) years. The majority (85.9%) were in the 3rd to 6th decades. The most common were degenerative diseases (49.9%), followed by inflammation (33.5%), soft tissue rheumatism (7%), metabolic bone disease (4.8%) and connective tissue diseases (2.5%). The most common disease was rheumatoid arthritis (27.7%), followed by osteoarthritis of the knees (26.2%) and the spine (23.4). Tendinitis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and systemic lupus erythematosus were dominant in 5.6%, 4.8%, 1.4%, and 1.3% of cases, respectively. Common comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (87.9%), hypertension (22.2%), ischemic heart disease (12.4%), dyslipidemia (10.1%), fatty liver (7.9%), chronic kidney disease (6.9%) and hypothyroidism (4.5%). The most frequently prescribed medications were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (93%), disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (28.9%), and prednisolone (10.6%). Physiotherapy was required in 13.3% of cases. A different combination of treatment was required in 56.6% of cases. Adverse reactions occurred in 12% of patients receiving methotrexate.

Conclusion: Osteoarthritis of the spine and joints was more common, but rheumatoid arthritis was the most common disease.

Keywords: morbidity, rheumatological diseases.