Is the prevalence of arterial hypertension in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis associated with disease?

Morović-Vergles, Jadranka and Šalamon, Lea and Marasović-Krstulović, Daniela and Kehler, Tatjana and Šakić, Davorin and Badovinac, Olga and Vlak, Tonko and Novak, Srđan and Štiglić-Rogoznica, Nives and Hanih, Marino and Bedeković, Dražen and Grazio, Simeon and Kadojić, Mira and Milas-Ahić, Jasminka and Prus, Višnja and Stamenković, Doris and Šošo, Daniela and Anić, Branimir and Babić-Naglić, Đurđica and Gamulin, Stjepan (2013) Is the prevalence of arterial hypertension in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis associated with disease? Rheumatology International, 33 (5). pp. 1185-1192. ISSN 0172-8172

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Abstract

In this study, we compare the prevalence of arterial hypertension (HT) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients, exposed to high- and low-grade chronic inflammation, respectively, to assess the possible association between chronic inflammation and HT. A total of consecutive 627 RA and 352 OA patients were enrolled in this multicentric study. HT was defined as a systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140 and/or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg or current use of any antihypertensive drug. Overweight/obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25, and patients ≥65 years were considered elderly. The prevalence of HT was higher in the OA group than in the RA group [73.3 % (95 % CI, 68.4, 77.7) and 59.5 % (95 % CI, 55.6, 68.4) P < 0.001, respectively]. When the results were adjusted for age and BMI, the HT prevalence was similar in both groups [RA 59 % (95 % CI, 55.1, 63.8) OA 60 % (95 % CI, 58.4, 65.0)]. In both groups, the prevalence of HT was higher in the elderly and those who were overweight than in the younger patients and those with a BMI < 25. Overweight (BMI ≥ 25) and age ≥65 were independent predictors of HT in multivariate logistic regression model, which showed no association between HT and the disease (RA or OA). The results indicate a robust association of age and BMI with HT prevalence in both RA and OA. The difference in HT prevalence between RA and OA is due rather to age and BMI than to the features of the disease, putting into question specific association of HT with RA.

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