Association of various condition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in tertiary care hospital of central Assam: A retrospective case note review

• Author Details:   
• Chinmoy Das
• Partha Pratim Das
• Syed Shahbaz Imam ^*

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Aims & Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and types of comorbidities associated with RA in a tertiary care setting in Central Assam and to compare these with matched non-RA individuals.
Background: RA is frequently accompanied by a wide range of comorbidities that complicate its clinical management. Understanding the burden and nature of these comorbidities is essential for improving outcomes.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective case note review included patients diagnosed with RA between 2015 and 2024 at Tezpur Medical College and Hospital. Patients aged ?16 years were included. Diagnosis of RA was confirmed using clinical records, serological markers (Anti-CCP, RF), and imaging when available. Non-RA controls were matched 1:1 based on age, sex, and visit year. Comorbidities were identified using ICD-10 codes and analysed using logistic regression. Patients with other autoimmune diseases or thyroid disorders were excluded. 
Results: A total of 310 patients (155 RA and 155 controls) were included. The mean age was 60.4 ± 15.5 years; 66.7% were female. RA patients showed a significantly higher prevalence of soft tissue disorders (56.5%), osteopathies (31.1%), anaemia (18.3%), liver disease (15.7%), renal failure (8.6%), and gastrointestinal disorders (43.8%). These findings were consistent across age groups. DAS28 data were not available for assessment. Imaging evidence for chondropathies was also absent, limiting definitive diagnosis.
Conclusion: This study highlights a substantial burden of systemic and musculoskeletal comorbidities in RA patients. Older age in the cohort raises the possibility of osteoarthritis overlap. Larger prospective studies with clinical severity indices and imaging confirmation are required to further validate these findings.

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, Comorbidities, Assam, Retrospective study, Osteoarthritis, Chondropathies