Objective: To determine the frequency of fatty liver (non-alcoholic) disease, Framingham 10-year cardiovascular risk score in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: This study was conducted from September 1st to March 19, 2019, at Rheumatology OPD, Central Park Medical College Lahore. One hundred ninety two seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients were recruited. Demographic details were noted, BP, BMI, smoking habits, and waist circumference were noted, then sent to radiology department for ultrasound scan of abdomen by an expert radiologist. On next day 10 ml blood was taken by phlebotomist for lipid profile and fasting blood sugar levels, after availability of results 10-years Framingham cardiovascular risk score was calculated. Results: Females were (81.3%) mean age of (45.4) years, fatty liver was present in n=39 (20.3%). In positive cases comorbid like metabolic syndrome was present (71.8%), diabetes mellitus (33.3%), hypertension (59%) FRS score (intermediate to high in (33.3%), history of hakeem/desi medication use (51.3%), while on regression analysis all study parameters except DMARD’s had significant association with fatty liver (p<0.05). Conclusion: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is very widely prevalent in rheumatoid arthritis patients. As in general population, it is multifactorial in origin and needs careful monitoring and treatment. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.4.1984 How to cite this:Wagan AA, Bhutoo AQ, Khan D, Raheem A. Fatty liver in Pakistani cohort with rheumatoid arthritis. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(4):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.4.1984 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Objective: To fine out fatigue frequency and severity by FACIT-F scale in Pakistani cohort with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: This study was conducted at department of Medicine division of rheumatology CPMC Lahore. After the approval of IRB, 192 patients of RA were recruited. Written, informed consent was taken, demographic details were noted, patients filled the URDU version of FACIT-F (fatigue severity scale). 5-ml of blood was taken for fasting blood sugar, viral markers and ESR by a trained phlebotomist. Each individual’s disease activity was assessed by DAS-28 and FACIT-F score was calculated. Results: The Mean age (39.9±10.5) years, (71.9%) were females. Fatigue frequency was 62% (n=126), age, education, hypertension, DAS-28, exercise levels and HCV gives significant association with fatigue score. Linear regression analysis, results showed one unit increase in DAS-28 will gives 2.71 unit increases in fatigue scores(P <0.05). Conclusions: We have very high frequency of fatigue in RA, increases with disease activity & associated conditions. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.4.3602 How to cite this:Wagan AA, Raheem A, Bhatti A, Zafar T. Fatigue assessment by FACIT-F scale in Pakistani cohort with Rheumatoid Arthritis (FAF-RA) study. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(4):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.4.3602 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Objective:To determine the 10-year Cardiovascular risk score with QRISK-2 and Framingham risk calculators in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Non Rheumatoid Arthritis subjects and asses the usefulness of QRISK-2 and Framingham calculators in both groups.Methods:During the study 106 RA and 106 Non RA patients age and sex matched participants were enrolled from outpatient department. Demographic data and questions regarding other study parameters were noted. After 14 hours of fasting 5 ml of venous blood was drawn for Cholesterol and HDL levels, laboratory tests were performed on COBAS c III (ROCHE). QRISK-2 and Framingham risk calculators were used to get individual 10-year CVD risk score.Results:In this study the mean age of RA group was (45.1±9.5) for Non RA group (43.7±8.2), with female gender as common. The mean predicted 10-year score with QRISK-2 calculator in RA group (14.2±17.1%) and Non RA group was (13.2±19.0%) with (p-value 0.122). The 10-year score with Framingham risk score in RA group was (12.9±10.4%) and Non RA group was (8.9±8.7%) with (p-value 0.001). In RA group QRISK-2 (24.5%) and FRS (31.1%) cases with predicted score were in higher risk category. The maximum agreement scores between both calculators was observed in both groups (Kappa = 0.618 RA Group; Kappa = 0.671 Non RA Group).Conclusion:QRISK-2 calculator is more appropriate as it takes RA, ethnicity, CKD, and Atrial fibrillation as factors in risk assessment score.

Objective: To determine the frequency of impaired renal functions and hypertension in rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: This study was conducted between May 1st 2018 to February 1st 2019 at Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine Central Park Medical College Lahore, total 260 study participants were selected, demographic detail were asked in detail, disease duration of RA and hypertension, DMARD’s, self-use NSAID’s,/hakeem medications, smoking were asked in detail, BMI and blood pressure were measured,5 ml of blood was taken by trained phlebotomist, and sent for the estimation of serum urea and creatinine on (COBAS-III) machine, after availability of results each individuals eGFR (creatinine clearance) was calculated by Cockroft Gualt (CG) and Modification in diet in renal disease method (MDRD). Results: In this study the mean age of study participants was 42.4 (± 9.5) years with disease duration of 7.7(±4.8) years, prevalence of Impaired renal functions of 14.6% (n=38) and hypertension in 53.5% (n=139).Regression analysis shows there is significant association between hypertension, smoking and self/hakeem medications with impaired renal functions (p-0.5). Kappa analysis shows both (MDRD & CG methods) had uniformity in picking up cases of impaired renal functions 75.6% (p-0.05). Conclusion: In RA decline in renal functions is seen with self-use NSAID’s/hakeem medications along with other modifiable factors like smoking and hypertension, while conventional DMARD’s don’t show association with decline. There is very high prevalence of hypertension in rheumatoid arthritis. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.564 How to cite this:Wagan AA, Nasir S, Rahim A, Khan D. Impaired renal functions in Pakistani cohort of rheumatoid arthritis. Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(4):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.35.4.564 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Objective:To determine the frequency of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in Rheumatoid Arthritis patients at tertiary care hospital.Methods:During this study 246 patients of Rheumatoid Arthritis were enrolled from outpatients department of Medicine of Central Park Medical College Hospital, Lahore from July 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017. Demographic data and questions related to study were noted. After 14 hours of fasting 5ml of venous blood was drawn for Cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and blood sugar level. Blood tests were performed on COBAS c III (ROCHE), Framingham 10 year Risk score was calculated for every individual.Results:The mean age of male population was (50.2 ±7.5) and females (48.4±7.6) and female gender was common. Seventy eight (78%) of study population has one modifiable risk factor. Most frequent risk factor found in this study was BMI>30 in 48.4% (n=119), High LDL 43.5% (n=107), moderate to high FRS score 40.2% (n=99), Hypertension 37.4% (n=92), Diabetes Mellitus was present in 22.8% (n=56), while smoking was least frequent risk factors with frequency of 15.9% (n=39). Framingham cardiovascular risk score was significantly different, males were having higher mean 10 year risk score (19.7%) and females (8.7%) with (p-<0.01). Regression analysis revealed that older patients of Rheumatoid Arthritis with disease duration of more than seven years are four times more likely to have High Framingham risk score, moderate to high LDL and diabetes mellitus with significant high Odds ratio (p-value <0.05).Conclusion:Rheumatoid Arthritis patients are having increased chances of developing cardiovascular risk factors leading to cardiovascular events with male sex, increasing age and disease duration.

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Objective: To assess the frequency of methotrexate intolerance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis by using methotrexate intolerance severity scale. Study Design: Cross Sectional study. Setting: DHQ Teaching Hospital Sahiwal. Period: November 2021 – April 2022. Material & Methods: Sample of 178 cases were selected through non-probability consecutive sampling. Patients of age 20-80 years, either gender, diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis were enrolled. The MISS questionnaire was used to note the information and in tolerance was noted. Data analysis was done in SPSS version 25.0. Results: In this study, the mean age of patients was 35.12 ± 11.16 years. Out of 178 patients, 24 (13.5%) were males and 154 (86.5%) were females. The mean duration of disease was 31.22 ± 23.94 months. Mean duration of using methotrexate was 12.03 ± 12.61 months. About 33.7% patients had mild to moderate complaint of abdominal pain after taking methotrexate, abdominal pain anticipatory was absent in 98.9% patients and abdominal pain associative was also absent in 96.6% cases. Restlessness was mild in 20 (11.2%) cases, moderate in 22 (12.4%) and severe in 4 (2.2%) cases. Irritability was mild in 22 (12.4%) cases, moderate in 20 (11.2%) and severe in 4 (2.2%) cases. Overall refusal of methotrexate was noted in 38 (21.3%) cases. The mean MISS score attained by patients was 2.93 ± 3.82. Out of 178 patients, 44 (24.7%) had intolerance against methotrexate use for rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusion: The frequency of intolerance against methotrexate in patients of rheumatoid arthritis is high and cannot be ignored. Further trials should be done at adjust dose and alterations must be done to improve the tolerance and outcome of treatment.

Objective: To determine the frequency of premature ejaculatory dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: After approval from IRB, cross sectional study was conducted from November 1st, 2020 to August 1st, 2021 at Department of Rheumatology, Indus Medical College, Pakistan. RA patients were included, written and informed consents were taken. Demographic data was noted and detailed history and examination was carried out. Each participant BMI and Blood pressure was measured. Afterward 5-ml of blood was drawn by a trained phlebotomist for CBC, ESR, fasting blood sugar levels, HBs Ag and anti HCV Antibody test. DAS-28 Calculator was used for RA clinical activity. Premature ejaculation diagnostic tool was used for the assessment of premature ejaculation. Results: Total 168 patients with mean age 32.27 (SD=±9.49) and mean disease duration of 6.35 (SD=±3.95) years were included,. Prevalence of premature ejaculation dysfunction was (44.6%), with mean PED of score 9.17 (SD=±5.23). Hypertension, HCV, Hakeem medications, use of DMARDS had positive association while High BMI and higher DAS-28 has negative association with PED (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is high prevalence of PED in RA, it needs proper evaluation, treatment and urgent research is needed to know more about it. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.8.5698 How to cite this:Wagan AA, Chandio SA, Surahyo P. Premature Ejaculatory Dysfunction in Rheumatoid Arthritis (PED-RA Study). Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(8):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.8.5698 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.