Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41559843›Full record

ArticleBMC rheumatology2026

The prevalence of coronary artery disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients in Palestine: a cross-sectional study.

Rami Shrouf, Aleen Aldabbas, Razan Sobeih, Talal Asafrah, Sameh Issa, Dunia Salhab, Osama Ewidat, Nuha Riyad, Mohammed Alzer'e, Abrar Khdour and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC rheumatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

12 authors.

Rami ShroufFaculty of Medicine, Hebron University, Hebron, Palestine. rjmsh1994@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-8070-7767
Aleen AldabbasFaculty of Medicine, Hebron University, Hebron, Palestine. aleenaldabbas18@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-3698-0069
Razan SobeihFaculty of Medicine, Hebron University, Hebron, Palestine.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-9882-3677
Talal AsafrahFaculty of Medicine, Hebron University, Hebron, Palestine.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-0642-525X
Sameh IssaFaculty of Medicine, Hebron University, Hebron, Palestine.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-7225-3575
Dunia SalhabFaculty of Medicine, Hebron University, Hebron, Palestine.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-7693-2860
Osama EwidatFaculty of Medicine, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Nuha RiyadFaculty of Medicine, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Mohammed Alzer'eFaculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu-Dis, Palestine.
Abrar KhdourFaculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Abu-Dis, Palestine.
Ahmad FasfoosFaculty of Medicine, Hebron University, Hebron, Palestine.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-9786-8529
Saed AtawnahRheumatologist, Ahli Hospital, Hebron, Palestine.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder associated with a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular events. This study aims to assess the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its associated risk factors among Palestinian patients with RA, a population for which this data has been lacking.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from March to September 2024 at multiple rheumatology clinics in the West Bank, Palestine. The study included 384 patients with a confirmed RA diagnosis based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and RA-specific factors, including disease activity measured by the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Multivariable analysis was used to identify independent predictors of CAD.

resultsThe prevalence of CAD in this cohort was 25.5%. Multivariable analysis revealed that CAD was independently predicted by increasing age, dyslipidemia, and a first-degree family history of CAD. Markers of systemic inflammation, specifically higher disease activity (DAS28 Prevalence Ratio = 1.309) and elevated CRP levels (PR up to 2.108 for levels > 10 mg/L), also emerged as potent and independent predictors. Furthermore, a paradoxical, non-linear association was observed with anti-CCP antibody status, where low-positive titers conferred the highest risk (PR = 1.811), and a modest inverse association with BMI was noted (PR = 0.992), consistent with the 'obesity paradox'.

conclusionThis study reveals a high prevalence of CAD among Palestinian patients with RA, driven by both traditional metabolic risk factors and RA-related systemic inflammation. The findings highlight an urgent need to integrate proactive cardiovascular disease prevention into the standard of care for RA in Palestine, recognizing RA as a cardiovascular risk-equivalent condition.

Indexed as

Cardiovascular risk factorsCoronary artery diseaseCross-sectional studyPalestineRheumatoid arthritisSystemic inflammation

Identifiers

PMID41559843
PMCPMC12906049

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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.