Diabetes mellitus is an important predictor of mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and both diseases increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. In this study, Dr. Christie Bartels et al. identified patients 65 years or older who had diabetes and examined whether they had comorbid RA and whether they received guideline recommended A1c and lipid testing. They found that among the patients with diabetes, 2% had RA, and those with comorbid RA were more likely to have baseline cardiovascular disease, diabetes-related complications, lower extremity ulcers, and peripheral vascular disease. The patients with RA were less likely to receive recommended A1c testing, but were slightly more likely to receive lipid testing.
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