Objective: To estimate the prevalence of traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among US adults with osteoarthritis (OA).
Methods: Using survey data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we estimated the prevalence of selected CVD risk factors among a US OA and nonarthritic adult population. In additional analyses, we stratified the sample by gender and age (35-44, 45-64, and 65+ years) to further understand the CVD risk profile in an arthritic population and nonarthritic population. Relevant data on each survey participant's demographics, arthritis status, CVD risk factors, and sampling weights were obtained from the survey database.
Results: Of the 115.9 million US adults aged > or = 35 years, 24.3 million (21%) have OA. Hypertension is prevalent in approximately 40% of OA patients; 20% of the patients smoke and 11% have diabetes. Prevalence of high total cholesterol is estimated to be 32%, while prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is estimated at 13%. Approximately 37% of OA patients are estimated to have renal impairment, but less than 1% suffer from renal failure.
Conclusion: National survey data suggest that, on average, US adults with OA have a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. These findings highlight the need to consider patients' comorbidites when selecting the appropriate treatment options.