Abstract

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis face a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease and glomerulonephritis, which increases mortality, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.77-4. 45.
Objective: This study aims to assess urea and creatinine levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Materials and methods: This cooperative study was conducted in Shendi City, involving a total sample of 50 individuals, including 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis as the case group and 20 healthy individuals as the control group. Serum urea and creatinine levels were estimated using a spectrophotometer biosystem.
Results: This study showed that the levels of urea and creatinine were significantly increased in rheumatoid arthritis patients, with case levels at (89.43 ± 51.949) and control levels at (38. 38.60 ± 5.707) (P value=0.000) for urea and (3.3529 ± 3.830) for creatinine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, with case levels at (3.830 ± 3.3529) and control levels at (0.695 ± 0.1905) (P value = 0. 000). There was a significant effect of urea levels on age (0.783, P=0.003). A weak association was observed between creatinine and age (P=0.910). Males exhibited higher levels of both urea and creatinine compared to females, with urea levels being significantly more affected (P value=0.019) than creatinine levels (P value=0.343). A significant difference was noted between the groups with and without a family history of RA (P values of 0.012 and 0.480, respectively). NSAIDs were significantly more effective than the non- NSAID group in lowering urea and creatinine levels (P values=0.000 and 0.003, respectively).
Conclusion: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have higher serum levels of creatinine and urea. Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis frequently experience renal issues and their elevated urea levels are closely associated with their age and gender. The burden of chronic kidney illness among research participants may be alleviated by effectively managing positive cases and early screening of RA patients for renal disorders. Screening for renal abnormalities could help patients with rheumatoid arthritis prevent renal complications and assess their risk early

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis; Creatinine; Urea; Sudanese; Chronic kidney disease