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Cognitive impairment in rheumatoid arthritis
S Appenzeller1, M B Bertolo, L T L Costallat
1Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, State University of Campinas Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas, Brazil. appenzel@unicamp.br
Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology
|August 21, 2004
Summary
Cognitive impairment affects 30% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, significantly impacting memory and verbal fluency compared to healthy individuals. This condition
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Neuropsychology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease.
- Cognitive dysfunction is increasingly recognized in RA patients.
- Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of cognitive impairment in RA is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of cognitive impairment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- To compare cognitive function between RA patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 40 RA patients and 40 healthy controls.
- Cognitive function assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), memory tests, verbal fluency, and attention tests.
- Anxiety and depression evaluated using standardized scales (BPRS, HAD/CAGE, BDI).
Main Results:
- Cognitive impairment was observed in 30% of RA patients versus 7.5% of controls (p < 0.05).
- RA patients showed significantly poorer performance in verbal fluency, logic memory, and short-term memory.
- No significant differences were found in MMSE, BPRS, HAD/CAGE, or BDI scores, nor were cognitive issues linked to disease duration, corticotherapy, or disability.
Conclusions:
- A high prevalence of cognitive impairment exists in RA patients.
- Cognitive impairment in RA is not significantly associated with clinical features, treatment, or disability.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the clinical impact of cognitive impairment in RA.