A systematic review published by Zoubi et al in Rheumatology International concluded that there is an association between rheumatoid arthritis and peripheral arterial disease. The risk of developing peripheral arterial disease among patients with rheumatoid arthritis was highest during the first follow-up year and fell during the 4- to 5-year follow-up period; female sex and presence of comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and stroke also raised the risk of developing peripheral arterial disease. In concluding their report, the authors noted the lack of evidence on the “impact of conjoined disease manifestations on health-related quality of life and functional capacity,” and suggested, “Future studies will benefit from controlling for exercise as a prominent peripheral arterial disease risk factor and establishing the impact of symptomatic peripheral arterial disease on health-related quality of life and functional capacity in the rheumatoid arthritis population.”
May 25, 2023