Effect of treatment on genetic predictors and quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity

Abstract

Background. Connective tissue disease, in particular rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is characterized by a progressive joint damage and polymorphism of extra-articular lesions that affect the patient’s quality of life. Although the widespread implementation of basic therapy through the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs has a positive effect on social consequences, the experience gained shows the impossibility of achieving a stable remission of the disease or reducing the activity of autoimmune inflammation against the background of using these medicines in all patients for a number of reasons. One of these reasons is the presence of comorbid pathology, which requires a personalized approach to each person. The objective was to study the quality of life of patients with RA in combination with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension and obesity depending on the T-786C polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene promoter. Materials and methods. A laboratory and instrumental examination involved 110 patients who were treated at the clinical base of the Department of Internal Medicine of Bukovinian State Medical University, Chernivtsi Regional Endocrinology Center, Chernivtsi Regional Clinical Hospital, and Reference Center for Molecular Genetic Research of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Results. When assessing the quality of life in the studied groups, a decrease in indicators on all scales was detected. Thus, in RA combined with hypertension and obesity, PF was 1.73 times lower, RP — 1.97 times, BP — 1.44 times, SF — 1.46 times, MH — 1.26 times , RE — 1.66 times, GH — 1.35 times (p < 0.05) lower than in patients with isolated RA. Taking into account the T-786C polymorphism of the eNOS gene, it can be asserted that all indicators of quality of life were reduced in the carriers of the СС genotype, in contrast to the carriers of the T-allele: PF — by 2.06 (pTT < 0.05) and 2.46 times (pTС < 0.05); RP — by 2.0 (pTT < 0.05) and 2.87 times (pTС < 0.05); BP — by 1.86 (pTT < 0.05) and 2.52 times (pTС < 0.05); SF — by 1.55 and 2.07 times (рTС < 0.05); MH — by 1.42 (pTT < 0.05) and 1.53 times (pTС < 0.05); RE — by 1.30 (pTT < 0.05) and 1.54 times (pTС < 0.05); VT — by 3.34 (pTT < 0.05) and 3.72 times (pTС < 0.05); GH — by 2.32 (pTT < 0.05) and 2.38 times (pTС < 0.05), respectively. Conclusions. When comparing the quality of life in the studied groups, it can be stated that the lowest indicators on all scales were in patients with RA combined with hypertension, obesity and T2DM and in carriers of the СС genotype of the analyzed gene, which reflected the worst physical condition and psychosocial status.