Disparities in multimorbidity and comorbidities in rheumatoid arthritis by sex across the lifespan
Authors' conclusion
Multimorbidity disproportionately impacts women with RA.
Study context
- Population
- People with RA and matched non-RA comparators in US national administrative claims, 2010–2019matched cohort
- Participants
- 154,391 vs 154,391
- Exposure
- RA vs matched non-RA comparators, by sex and age
- RAn = 154,391
- Non-RAn = 154,391reference
- Outcome
- Multimorbidity: ≥2 (MM2+) or ≥5 (MM5+) comorbidities from a validated set of 44 chronic conditions
Methodological detailsnational administrative claims (OptumLabs® Data Warehouse), matched on age, sex, race, census region, index year and length of baseline insurance coverage, logistic regression
- National administrative claims (OptumLabs® Data Warehouse)
- Matched on age, sex, race, census region, index year and length of baseline insurance coverage
- Logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Percentage point increase in multimorbidity, women vs men
- Age 18-50 y, RA women vs RA men: MM2+ / MM5+ (percentage points)
- 7.5 and 4.4
- Age 18-50 y, non-RA women vs non-RA men: MM2+ / MM5+ (percentage points)
- 3.2 and 0.9
- Age 51+ y, RA women vs RA men: MM2+ / MM5+ (percentage points)
- 2.1 and 2.5
- Age 51+ y, non-RA women vs non-RA men: MM2+ / MM5+ (percentage points)
- 1.2 and 0.3
- Differences in multimorbidity between women and men exacerbated by RA (vs non-RA), more pronounced in people aged 18-50 (interaction)
- P < 0.05
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Comorbidity types by sex
- Men had more cardiovascular-related conditions; RA women had more psychological, neurological and general musculoskeletal conditions
- Other comorbidities varied by sex and age
Original publication
Disparities in multimorbidity and comorbidities in rheumatoid arthritis by sex across the lifespan. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 31 August 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →