Severity of the Rheumatoid Arthritis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Study of 403 Senegalese Observations

Introduction: We assess the severity of the rheumatoid arthritis in a Senegalese African black population. Patients and methods: It is a retrospective study achieved in the service of Internal Medicine of Aristide Le Dantec teaching hospital of Dakar between January 2005 and December 2016 in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. We specified for every patient the predictive data of severity of the rheumatoid arthritis. Results: Four hundred and three patients have been gathered (39 men and 364 women), with the mean age of 45.8 years. An active tobacco addiction was noticed in 10 patients. The diagnostic delay was on average of 72 months. Characteristic articular deformations were noticed in 215 patients (53.3%). They were correlated to male (p = 0.038), to age (p = 0.001) and to the activity of the rheumatoid arthritis (p = 0.0445). Systemic manifestations have been observed in 213 cases (52.9%), particularly anemia (50.8%). They were correlated to the anti-CCP antibodies (p = 0.047). The ESR was increased at the first hour in 84.4% of cases (median: 43 mm; extreme: 1and 160). CRP was elevated in 63.71% of cases (median of 12 mg/l; extreme: 1 and 384). The rheumatoid factor was positive in 57.6% of the cases. The anti-CCP antibodies were present in 89.2% of the cases. Articular erosions were objectified in all cases. A DAS 28 superior to 5.1 was noticed in 71% of cases. Conclusion: The rheumatoid arthritis was severe in our study.