Characterization of Rheumatoid Arthritis in the ISSS Specialty Office

Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis (PA) is a chronic, polyarticular and inabling inflammatory disease. In the Rheumatology Consultation of the Specialty Office of the Salvadoran Social Security Institute (ISSS), it is one of the main causes of consultation and is responsible for many disabilities and premature deaths. The objective of the study was to describe the main demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of a sample of patients with PA. who are attended in the Consultation. The type of study was observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional. We included 686 patients diagnosed with PA. 89.2 were women, with an average age of 50.2 (21 - 87) years. The level of education was similar in both sexes, finding 3.4% illiteracy. 45.3% of patients referred for the first time to the consultation, had less than 3 years of evolution of their disease, and 21.3% had more than 10 years of evolution, which was closely related to the greater degree of disability (9.7% were in functional class III or IV). 62.2% had positive rheumatoid factor. In conclusion, and in similarity to what was reported, we found that rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects 89.2% of women, with average ages of 50.2 years. About half of the patients (45.3%) are referred to the Rheumatology Consultation in a timely manner, which is reflected in a lower degree of disability