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The descriptive epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis in Catalonia: a retrospective study using routinely collected data

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Abstract

Information on the epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Southern Europe is scarce. We estimated the age- and gender-adjusted incidence and prevalence of RA in Catalonia using routinely collected primary care records. We identified incident (2009–2012) and prevalent (on 31 December 2012) cases of RA in the SIDIAP database using ICD-10 codes. SIDIAP contains anonymized data from computerized primary care records for about five million adults (>80 % of the population). We estimated age- (5-year groups) and gender-specific, and directly standardized incidence and prevalence of RA and confidence intervals (95% CIs) assuming a Poisson distribution. A total of 20,091 prevalent (among whom 5,796 incident) cases of RA were identified among 4,796,498 study participants observed for up to 4 years. Rates of RA increased with age in both genders, peaking at the age of 65–70 years. Age- and gender-standardized incidence and prevalence rates were 0.20/1,000 person-years (95% CI 0.19–0.20) and 4.17/1,000 (4.11–4.23) respectively. Rheumatoid factor was positive (≥10 IU/mL) in 1,833 (73.9 %) of 2,482 cases tested in primary care. The incidence and prevalence of RA in Catalonia are similar to those of other Southern European regions, and lower than those of northern areas. This data will inform health care planning and resource allocation.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Preventive Services and Health Promotion Network (redIAPP), funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCiii)-RETICS (RD12/0005). DPA, MKJ, CC and NKA receive partial support from the Oxford NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit. DPA receives funding from the NIHR Clinician Scientist awards scheme.

Contributors

Data acquisition: FFA, MM, LMB, JME. Data analysis: DP-A. Data interpretation and manuscript preparation: all authors.

Disclosures

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Primary Care Department, Institut Català de la Salut, Av Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 587, 3rd floor, 08007, Barcelona, Spain

    F. Fina-Aviles, M. Medina-Peralta, L. Mendez-Boo, M. Garcia-Gil & R. Ramos

  2. IDIAP Jordi Gol Primary Care Research Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Av Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 587, Atic, 08007, Barcelona, Spain

    E. Hermosilla, J. M. Elorza, M. Garcia-Gil, R. Ramos, B. Bolibar & D. Prieto-Alhambra

  3. Oxford NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Windmill Road, OX3 7LD, Oxford, UK

    M. K. Javaid, C. Cooper, N. K. Arden & D. Prieto-Alhambra

  4. MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Tremona Road, SO16 6YD, Southampton, UK

    M. K. Javaid, C. Cooper, N. K. Arden & D. Prieto-Alhambra

  5. Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, SO16 6YD, Southampton, UK

    C. J. Edwards

  6. SIDIAP Database, IDIAP Jordi Gol, Av Gran Via Corts Catalanes, 587, Atic, 08007, Barcelona, Spain

    D. Prieto-Alhambra

Authors
  1. F. Fina-Aviles
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  2. M. Medina-Peralta
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  3. L. Mendez-Boo
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  4. E. Hermosilla
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  5. J. M. Elorza
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  6. M. Garcia-Gil
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  7. R. Ramos
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  8. B. Bolibar
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  9. M. K. Javaid
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  10. C. J. Edwards
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  11. C. Cooper
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  12. N. K. Arden
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  13. D. Prieto-Alhambra
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D. Prieto-Alhambra.

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Fina-Aviles, F., Medina-Peralta, M., Mendez-Boo, L. et al. The descriptive epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis in Catalonia: a retrospective study using routinely collected data. Clin Rheumatol 35, 751–757 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-014-2801-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-014-2801-1

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