Clinical assessment and health status in standard care in Indian and Iranian patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Disease activity and quality of life (QOL) including functional status in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is influenced by several ethnic, cultural and other factors. Standard of care management should cater for country specific needs.ObjectivesTo assess and compare clinical disease characteristics and health status in patients with RA from two countries, India and Iran.Material and methodsA cross-sectional survey of 140 RA patients (Indian70 and Iranian70) was chosen from rheumatology outpatients (Bandar Abbas, Iran and Pune, India) in random manner. One of the authors evaluated all patients under Rheumatologist supervision. Standard evaluation was as per current American College of Rheumatology guidelines and included a 68/66 joint count and laboratory tests. Health assessment questionnaire (CRD Pune version HAQ) and SF36v2 was utilized to assess functional and health status. While Iranian patients were all Muslims, the Indian patients were predominantly Hindu.ResultsThe groups matched well for age, gender, duration of disease and rheumatoid factor. Patients in Iran had less years of education as compared to patients from India (p < 0.001), Pains and SF 36 domains (barring vitality, social function and mental health) and sedimentation rate (ESR) scored significantly higher in the Iranian group. Swollen joint counts, global disease assessment and blood hemoglobin were higher in the Indian group. The overall DAS 28 (disease activity score) index, general health (VAS), HAQ and SF 36 Mental health domain scores did not differ significantly in two groups.ConclusionsThough there were some important differences in pain perception, joint counts and QOL, the study cohorts of RA belonging to the Iranian and Indian ethnicity were similar for disease activity (DAS) and functional status (HAQ).