Mean age of the patients in the study was 47 ± 13.4 years. Rheumatoid factor (RF) was positive in 63%, anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP) in 71% and both of them were positive in 49% of cases. A very small group of patients had greater than six tender joints (6%) and swollen joints (9%); moreover there was no significant differences in number

of tender and swollen joint counts across different populations. Mean DAS28 erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was 2.91 ± 1.02 and there were no statistically selleck screening library significant differences between the study groups. Almost half of the patients (49%) were in remission (DAS28 < 2.6) and one-third (36%) were in active disease (DAS28 > 3.2). However, a minority of patients find more (15%) were in low disease activity (DAS28 2.6–3.2). The mean HAQ score was 1.02 (± 0.60). X-rays of hand and feet were performed on 65% of patients, of whom 11% were found to have erosions. Sixty-six percent of our patients were on

one synthetic DMARD in the last 2 months before being involved in the study, 27% were on two synthetic DMARDs and 7% were not on synthetic DMARDs. Synthetic DMARDs were mostly used in the Asian group (74.8%). Methotrexate was the most commonly used DMARD (75%). It was used alone in 31% or in combination with other synthetic or biologic DMARDs (44%). Biologic DMARDs were used in 29%: 11% on rituximab, 8% on tocilizumab, 9% on anti-tumor necrosis factor and one patient was on abatacept. Use of biologics was more in the Qatari population (65.2%) and least in Asians (15.3%). Glucocorticoids were used in 51% of patients with dose range of 5–10 mg\day. In this cross-sectional study we described the characteristics

of RA in Qatar managed on an outpatient base and analyzed the severity and activity of the disease. Our study showed that the majority of patients was female (67%) and they were more frequently Qataris (91.3%) compared with Asians (52.5%) which reflects MG-132 in vivo the pattern of the Qatar population (most Asians are male). Among all patients, RF was positive in 63%, anti-CCP in 71% and both were positive in 49% which is close to that reported from Kuwait 60%.[4] A comparative study of RA in British and Malaysian patients showed that RF was positive in 65% in each group of patients which is similar to our study.[7] In our study 64% of patients were either in remission (49% with DAS28 < 2.6) or in low disease activity (15% with DAS28 < 3.2) while mean DAS28-ESR was 2.85 ± 1.047. This is in contrast to a UAE study which showed that only a few patients (15%) were in low disease activity and most of them had high disease activity with mean DAS of 5.2.[6] However, 36% of our patients had moderate to high disease activity with DAS28 > 3.2. The majority of our patients (93%) were being treated with DMARDs over the last 2 months before enrolment in the study, 66% on one synthetic DMARD and 27% on two.