Staying in the labor force among patients with rheumatoid arthritis and associated factors in Southern Brazil.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis primarily affects the working-age population and may cause key functional and work limitations. As the disease progresses, individuals become increasingly unable to conduct daily activities, which has a substantial personal and socioeconomic impact. Fairly recent prior studies showed that patients with RA stop working 20 years earlier than age-matched controls.

Prevalence of ischemic heart disease and associated factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Southern Brazil.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of ischemic heart disease and associated factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria in order to select patients seen at primary or secondary health care units in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil, in 2014. The presence of ischemic heart disease was defined as an acute myocardial infarction with percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft surgery that has occurred after diagnosis.