The frequency of metabolic syndrome in women with rheumatoid arthritis and in controls.

AIM To compare the frequency of the metabolic syndrome and its components in a sample of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and controls. METHODS This case control study was performed on 188 women over 18 years old: 92 RA patients and 96 healthy controls, from 2006 to 2008. Blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference were measured. Blood was collected for the measurement of fasting glucose, lipid profile and insulin. The frequency of the metabolic syndrome was determined in case and control groups, using both WHO and National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria. RESULTS According to the NCEP criteria, the frequency of metabolic syndrome in RA patients and controls were 27.2% and 35.4%, respectively (P = 0.22). Based on WHO criteria, 19.6% of RA patients and 21.9% of the control group were subject to metabolic syndrome (P = 0.70). The proportion with hypertension was greater in RA patients than the control group. The duration of RA was significantly higher in patients with metabolic syndrome compared to those without metabolic syndrome using both the WHO and NCEP criteria. CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence of a greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome in RA patients compared with controls in this study. The duration of RA was associated with metabolic syndrome, implicating the role of inflammation in metabolic syndrome development.