Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36585680›Full record

ArticleBMC rheumatology2022

The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in Western Australia.

Khalid Almutairi, Charles Inderjeeth, David B Preen, Helen Keen, Johannes Nossent

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC rheumatology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Sarcoidosis in hospitalised patients in Western Australia: A long-term study on prevalence, comorbidity and mortality.Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases : official journal of WASOG · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. First fracture in rheumatoid arthritis: analysis by fracture site, gender, age, and comorbidities.Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2025
    Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Khalid AlmutairiFaculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia. khalid.almutairi@uwa.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9246-7294
Charles InderjeethFaculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0535-963X
David B PreenFaculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2982-2169
Helen KeenFaculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8469-2424
Johannes NossentFaculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2833-7997

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of autoimmune arthritis, but the prevalence in Australia is unknown. We estimated RA period prevalence and identified factors associated with frequent RA hospitalisations, using linked administrative health and state-specific Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) datasets in Western Australia (WA) from 1995 to 2014.

methodsThis was a longitudinal population-based cohort study using two independent datasets to identify prevalent RA patients. RA prevalence was calculated per 1000 hospital separations and biological therapy users. RA patients were identified in the WA linked health dataset using ICD codes 714.0-714.9 and M05.00-M06.99. Dispensing data on biological therapy for RA were obtained from PBS records and converted to defined daily doses /1000 population/day. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse factors associated with frequent RA hospitalisations (> 2/year), controlling for sex, age, and geographic locations. Potential interactions were assessed using logistic regression in a stepwise approach.

resultsA total of 17,125 RA patients had 50,353 hospital separations between 1995 and 2014, averaging three hospitalisations per patient over 20 years. The RA period prevalence was 3.4 per 1000 separations (0.34%; 95% CI 0.33-0.34), while the RA period prevalence based on biological therapy use was 0.36% (95% CI 0.35-0.37). The corrected RA prevalence based on biological therapy usage was 0.36% (95% CI 0.35-0.37) for the 2005-2009 and increased to 0.72% (95% CI 0.70-0.74) in 2010-2014 period. Associated factors for frequent RA hospitalisations were being female [1.21 (95% CI 1.15-1.26)], aged 60-69 years [4.45 (95% CI 3.74-5.30)], living in rural areas [1.12 (95% CI 1.02-1.24)]. The odd ratio of interaction between these associated factors was 1.34 (95% CI 1.16-1.55).

conclusionThe minimal prevalence of RA in Western Australia is 0.34-0.36%, which falls within the literature range. Older female RA patients in rural were more likely to be hospitalised, suggesting unmet primary care for needs.

Indexed as

ArthritisAssociated factorsBiological therapyHospitalisationPrevalenceRheumatoid

Identifiers

PMID36585680
PMCPMC9804946

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.