Frequency distribution of bone fractures in rheumatoid arthritis patients: A cross-sectional study in police teaching hospital 2020

Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in adults. This study reveals the frequency distribution of bone fractures and the most frequent fracture sites in RA patients in Police teaching hospital. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study, a health facility-based was conducted in Khartoum, Sudan from January 2019 to January 2020. The questionnaire is in form of Multiple-choice questions, Composed of Demographic information Regards their (age, sex, Occupation, and social habit), Information about the RA disease (duration, Risk factor, and investigation). Information concerning Bone fracture (if there is any fracture, site, how it detected). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, Version 22.0. (IBM, USA). Results: From patients diagnosed with RA, 25% had bone fractures out of 72 RA patients. A 72 rheumatic patients were involved in this cross-sectional study, 11 of them (15.3%) were males and 61 (84.7%) were females. the mean of age was 50.6 years (48 years for male, 51years for female). The duration of rheumatoid in the majority of patients (36.1%) was falling between 2-5 years of diagnosis. The most common site of fracture is hip (36.9%) following by carpal bones (26.3%), then spinal vertebrae (10.5%), and talus bone (10.5%). Conclusion:25% of RA patients experienced bone fractures, the most common site of bone fractures in RA patients is hip bone following by carpal bones. Physicians should know the association between RA and bone fractures to decrease the bone fracture incidence. Also, investigations such as bone loss measurement should be done routinely to any patients with RA.