Prevalence of hyperlipidemia in psoriatic arthritis patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to investigate the relationship between PsA and hyperlipidemia.

Methods: This retrospective study examined medical records of PsA patients from January 2010 to May 2023 at 2 medical centers in Riyadh. Patients over 18 years old with a lipid profile were included. Hyperlipidemia cases were determined using Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines and European Association of Preventive Cardiology definitions based on lipid profile results.

Results: A total of 141 patients were included in the analysis. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia in patients with PsA was 40.7% at diagnosis, and 28.7% at the last visit. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia was significantly higher in males than females (56% versus [vs] 29.4%, p<0.005). While not statistically significant, among patients who received a biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD), 31.6% had hyperlipidemia at the last visit, compared to 20% of those who did not receive it (p=0.317). Among patients who received conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARD), 30% had hyperlipidemia at the last visit, compared to 25.8% of those who did not it (p=0.813). The prevalence rates of hyperlipidemia at the first visit and the last visit were found to be statistically significant among patients who have comorbidities other than PsA (7.6 vs. 17.3%, p=0.004).

Conclusion: The study results are comparable to those of other studies showing no significant effect of PsA on the lipid profile. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia in PsA patients appears similar to that of the general population in Saudi Arabia, based on indirect comparison.