Evaluation of clinical and Para clinical findings and treatment response in RA patients: Data from a single center RA registry

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory arthritis, rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (Anti-CCP) autoantibodies. In the present study, the aim was to register RA patients in Tehran Imam Khomeini Hospital.

The study population was RA patients referred to the rheumatology clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, who were visited at this clinic in 1398 and were diagnosed during the 5 years ago. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory information of patients at the beginning of referral, 3 months, 1, 2, 3, and 4 years after referral were carefully recorded in each patients’ questionnaire.

In the first visit, 79 RA patients were examined and in the other 5 visits, 73, 52, 33, 20, 13 patients and all of 270 visits were examined, respectively. RF and Anti-CCP were positive in 58.22% and 62.02% of patients, respectively.The mean age of patients was 52.5±11.25 years. The results of the present study showed that the mean morning stiffness, DAS, arthritis, arthralgia, ESR and CRP decreased from the second visit to the five visits, which indicates disease control.

Clinical and laboratory data showed considarable disease control, however, relapse of disease was seen due to drug discontinuation. Disease registry make it possible to recording the necessary information of each patient, including demographic, clinical, paraclinical findings and consultations, also gives the physician accurate access to patient information and unnecessary duplication of paraclinical examinations.