Conference on rheumatoid arthritis begins at PGI

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 27

A three-day conference on rheumatoid arthritis began at the PGIMER here today. Experts gathered from across the world raised concerns over the risk factors of heart disease and stroke associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

According to Dr Aman Sharma, organising secretary of the IRACON 2014, a study done at the PGIMER had shown that there was increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis as compared to age and sex-matched controls. This was a prospective case control study in which 114 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 114 age and sex-matched controls were included.

This study suggests that there is an independent risk of heart disease and stroke in Indian patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In the session on rheumatoid arthritis, there were presentations by Prof Peter C Taylor, Norman Collisson Chair of Musculoskeletal Science at the University of Oxford.

His specialist clinical interests are in rheumatoid arthritis and early inflammatory arthritis. He was awarded a “Healthcare Champions Prize” in the Houses of Parliament in May 2008.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease. It presents with small and large joint pains along with joint swelling. This is a common type of inflammatory arthritis affecting 1-2 per cent of the adult population. Multiple joints are affected simultaneously. This not only affects the joints but also has effects on other organs like heart, lungs, etc. Smoking has an important role to play in triggering this disease, said Dr Aman Sharma from the Department of Internal Medicine, PGIMER, who is the organising secretary of the conference.