Authors: Ayman Alharbi , Saud Alamri , Abdulaziz Alluhayb , Ali Alrashed , Ahmad Alridahie , Saleh Almasoud , Khaled Almoutairi

Abstract

Background: Comorbidities contribute substantially to morbidity and treatment complexity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but regional data from Saudi Arabia are limited. This study assessed the prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with documented comorbidities among patients with RA in Qassim.

Methodology: This retrospective cross-sectional medical-record study included 793 eligible adults with RA followed or treated at King Fahad Specialist Hospital during 2015–2025. Comorbidities were identified from documented physician diagnoses and relevant clinical or laboratory information. Multivariable logistic regression assessed factors associated with the presence of at least one comorbidity using complete-case analysis.

Results: Overall, 538 patients (67.8%) had at least one comorbidity. Hypertension (233, 29.4%), diabetes mellitus (203, 25.6%), and hypothyroidism (169, 21.3%) were most frequent. One comorbidity was present in 199 patients (25.1%), two in 151 (19.0%), and three or more in 188 (23.7%). In the expanded model (n=777), age was independently associated with comorbidity presence (adjusted odds ratio 1.076 per year, 95% confidence interval 1.059–1.093; p<0.001); other included variables were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: Comorbidities were common among patients with RA, particularly hypertension, diabetes, and hypothyroidism. Older age was independently associated with comorbidity burden. Routine comorbidity assessment should be integrated into RA care, while findings should be interpreted in light of the retrospective single-center design.

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, comorbidity, multimorbidity, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.