MALE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN ALL MOROCCAN RA UNDERGOING BIOTHERAPY: PREVALENCE, CHARACTERISTICS, AND RESPONSE TO BIOLOGICAL TREATMENTS (NATIONAL REGISTRY)
Authors:   Rheumatology Department, Meknes Military Hospital, Hassan II University Hospital, Morocco., Guich Abdelhafid , Haddani Fatimazahra ,   Rheumatology Department, Meknes Military Hospital, Hassan II University Hospital, Morocco., Mehdi Boudhar El ,   Rheumatology Department, Meknes Military Hospital, Hassan II University Hospital, Morocco., Oulahrir Soumia ,   Rheumatology Department, Meknes Military Hospital, Hassan II University Hospital, Morocco., Youssoufi Tarik ,   Rheumatology Department, Meknes Military Hospital, Hassan II University Hospital, Morocco., Abouqal Redouane ,   Laboratory of Biostatistics, Clinical and Epidemiological Research (LBRCE) Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco., Achemlal Lahcen ,   Rheumatology Department, Mohamed V Military Hospital, Ibn Sina university center, Rabat, Morocco., Allali Fadoua ,   Rheumatology Department B, El Ayachi Hospital, Rabat-SalÃ© Teaching Hospital, Morocco., Bahiri Rachid ,   Rheumatology Department A, El Ayachi Hospital, Rabat-SalÃ© Teaching Hospital, Morocco., El Bouchti Imane ,   Rheumatology Department, Arrazi Hospital, Mohammed VI university hospital, Marrakech, Morocco., El Maghraoui Abdellah ,   Cabinet of Rheumatology, Rabat, Morocco., Ghozlani Imad ,   Rheumatology Department, Agadir Teaching Hospital, Morocco., Harzy Taoufik ,   Rheumatology Department, Hassan II university hospital Fez, Morocco., Hmamouchi Ihsane ,   Laboratory of Biostatistics, Clinical and Epidemiological Research (LBRCE) Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco.,   Skhirat-Temara Provincial Hospital, Morocco., Ichchou Linda ,   Rheumatology Department, Mohammed VI Oujda University Hospital, Morocco., Mkinsi Oufa ,   Rheumatology Department, Ibn Rochd university hospital, Casablanca, Morocco., Niamane Redouane ,   Rheumatology Department, Avicenne Military Hospital, Mohammed VI university hospital Marrakech, Morocco., Hassikou Hasna ,   Rheumatology Department, Meknes Military Hospital, Hassan II University Hospital, Morocco.
Published: June 2021

Introduction:This study aims at reporting the RA male frequency while undergoing biotherapy and describing the epidemiological characteristics (clinical, biological and radiological) in relation to female RA. It also evaluates its impact on the response to biological treatments. Materials and methods: There are 224 patients followed for rheumatoid arthritis, responding to ACR/EULAR 2010 criteria during their biotherapy. They were included in the national RBSMR registry. The patients were divided into two groups and were compared at the basis of their gender in terms of the socio-demographic, clinical, biological, radiological parameters, and response to the treatement. Results: The average age of the patients under study is 51.94 ansÂ±11.36 years old [20-80]. The presence of male rheumatoid arthritis under biotherapy is 12.4%. The mean age of RA male is 55.96+9 years old. The estimated duration of progression of male RA is 542 weeks with an average diagnostic deadline of 562.61 weeks. As a description of the case study, 28,6% of men are diagnosed with cormobidities (mainly tuberculosis 21.4%) while 10,7% of men are smokers. There is an average sedimentation rate (1st hour) at 52.6mm. Rheumatoid serology is found to be positive in 96.4% of cases. Radiological abnormalities are observed in 90.5% of the cases. Male rheumatoid arthritis is related to a shorter duration of progression (542 versus 768 weeks in females, p=0.01), liberal profession (p=0.00), study level (p=0.003), duration between diagnosis and the starting of biotherapy (p=0.021), EVA pain patient and physician (p=0.003, p=0.01) Tobacco (p=0.006), and pulmonary tuberculosis (p=0.029). On the other hand, it was not associated with the following parameters: age, duration of diagnosis, disease intensity, rheumatoid serology, structural damage nor with the DAS 28vs response during one year. Conclusion: The male RA rate in RBSMR study is 12.4% in that there is no significant difference between the sexes in clinical presentation, disease activity, disease severity, rheumatoid serology and response to the biotherapy. However, male RA was related to smoking, liberal profession, and history or occurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis.