Multicentre survey of rheumatoid arthritis patients from Ministry of Health Rheumatology Centers in Malaysia

Abstract

Aim: This is a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) descriptive study, the first of its kind carried out in Malaysia. Methods: This descriptive study involved 1084 RA patients’ epidemiological and clinical data taken from Selayang, Putrajaya, Taiping and Seremban hospitals from June 2004 to December 2005. Results: One thousand and eighty‐four RA patients'data were analysed; 960 (88.6%) patients were female and 124 (11.4%) were male, approximately 8 : 1 M : F ratio. The majority of the patients were Indian (591; 54.5%), followed by the Malays (340; 31.4%), Chinese (126; 11.6%), indigenous (13; 1.2%) and others (14; 1.3%). Mean age was 49.6 ± 11.8 years with the youngest being 15 years and the oldest 88 years of age. Mean age for males was 52.0 ± 12.0 and females 49.3 ± 11.7 years (P = 0.017). Most of these patients were housewives (565; 52.1%), followed by paid workers (266; 24.5%), retired patients (80; 7.4%), unemployed (76; 7.0%) and others (97; 8.9%). Mean duration of illness was 8.4 ± 6.7 years; 805 (74.3%) patients were relatively new patients (≤ 2 years illness duration) and 279 (25.7%) patients had illness duration > 2 years. Eight hundred and six (74.4%) were seropositive RA patients and 385 (35.5%) had presence of deformity. The majority of patients were treated with methotrexate (178; 16.4%), followed by combination of methotrexate, sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine (143; 13.2%), leflunomide (140; 12.9%), sulfasalazine (133; 12.3%) and combination of methotrexate and sulfasalazine (108; 10%). Conclusion: In the above study, the majority of patients were female (960; 88.6%), Indian (591; 54.5%), had a mean age of 49.6 ± 11.8 years, most were housewives with a mean duration of illness of 8.4 ± 6.7 years and were treated with methotrexate (178; 16.4%). The results of the study may help Malaysian rheumaologists to understand their patients better and treat RA holistically.

A cross‐sectional study of diastolic dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis and its association with disease activity

“…The proportion in this study population was similar to the study done by Shahrir et al. 3 Women outnumbered men in the Shahrir et al. study with the ratio of 8 : 1 and a mean age of 49.6 ± 11.8 years.…”

“…However, the study done by Shahrir et al. 3 found the majority of their study population were Indian, followed by Malays, Chinese, indigenous and others. That study was based on the RA population coming to tertiary rheumatology centres of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia which were Hospital Seremban, Taiping, Putrajaya and Selayang.…”

“…However, a multicentre rheumatology survey at Malaysia’s Ministry of Health rheumatology centres performed by Shahrir et al. 3 found that the majority of RA patients were female (960; 88.6%), Indian (591; 54.5%) and had a mean age of 49.6 ± 11.8 years with a mean duration of illness of 8.4 ± 6.7 years.…”

Damage in the Multiethnic Malaysian Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Cohort: Comparison with Other Cohorts Worldwide

“…On the other hand, prevalence of SLE among Malaysian Indians are generally low ranging from 7–11.6% only [17,18]. This was in contrast to Rheumatoid Arthritis in which Indians were predominantly affected as the reported prevalence of RA among them were 54.5% [19]. …”

Sexual dysfunction and its determinants in Malaysian women with rheumatoid arthritis

“…Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease causing significant morbidity and disability. 1,2 Although central to the management of RA patients is their quality of life, sexual dysfunction among patients with RA is often neglected. Several studies have looked into the issue; however, findings were conflicting.…”