Prevalence Rate of Rheumatoid Arthritis among Patients Attending Rheumatology Consultation Clinic at Baquba Teaching Hospital

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes progressive and painful of multiple joints damage. Objective: To explore the prevalence among middle-aged older Iraqi patients attended outpatients’ clinics. Patients Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st February to 31st July 2022 at rheumatology outpatient clinic Baquba teaching hospitals, Diyala province, Iraq. The eligible were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Diagnosis RA based on clinical serological parameters in accordance with criteria issued by American College Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) guideline. Descriptive, bivariate, logistic regression analysis performed. All statistical analyses performed SPSS 16.0 software. P-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: total 417 average age 55.05 (+10.31) (ranged 40-79 years) have been included study. More than half females (57.8%), married (74.3%), unemployed (67.9%), 41.0% doctor-diagnosed arthritis. adults 0.96% compared 2.34% group (females 1.75% vs. males 0.59%, P= 0.011). Results regressions showed (odds ratio (OR) = 1.100, 95% CI: 1.070 1.130) associated significantly "doctor-diagnosed arthritis" (p 0.001). female (OR 4.928, 2.826 8.593), single or had no spouse (unmarried, widow, divorce) 5.076, 2.742 9.396) diabetes mellitus (DM) 7.251, 4.247 12.378) Conclusion: With aging, who suffer become more vulnerable symptomatic