Comparative Cardiovascular Risk Index Across Autoimmune Conditions in a Large Middle-East Health System

Comparative Cardiovascular Risk Index Across Autoimmune Conditions in a Large Middle-East Health System | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Comparative Cardiovascular Risk Index Across Autoimmune Conditions in a Large Middle-East Health System Aisha Al Khinji, Dhafer Malouche, Abdullatif Al-Hor, Hadeel Ashwal, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7445788/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Autoimmune diseases confer excess cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, yet comparative profiles across phenotypes in Gulf health systems are unclear. Using routinely collected primary-care records, we analyzed 14,616 adults and derived a composite CVD risk index from a Framingham-based algorithm; “high risk” was the cohort upper quartile. Between-group differences were tested by Kruskal–Wallis with Benjamini–Hochberg–adjusted Dunn tests, and multivariable logistic (high risk) and linear (continuous index) models adjusted for body mass index (BMI), log-transformed ESR and CRP, and statin use; index components were not re-introduced. The proportion above the high-risk threshold differed by group—rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 29.4%, no autoimmune 25.7%, multiple-autoimmune 23.9%, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) 19.8%, and Hashimoto’s 12.7%—with a significant omnibus test (H=68.6, df= 4, p<10⁻¹³). Relative to the non-autoimmune reference, adjusted odds of high risk were higher in RA (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.06–1.37), lower in Hashimoto’s (0.49, 0.40–0.60), and not clearly different in SLE (0.80, 0.62–1.02) or multiple-autoimmune phenotypes (1.00, 0.56–1.71). In linear models, group coefficients were small, whereas higher BMI, ESR, and statin use were positively associated with the index. In this real-world cohort, RA carried a modestly higher composite CVD risk than non-autoimmune patients, whereas Hashimoto’s showed a lower burden, supporting systematic CVD risk assessment and targeted management—particularly blood-pressure control and weight/inflammation control—in autoimmune populations within Gulf health systems. rheumatoid arthritis systemic lupus erythematosus Hashimoto’s thyroiditis cardiovascular risk Framingham primary care Middle East Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7445788","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":516359271,"identity":"75cf4686-6588-4e39-830b-b41bd25f79f1","order_by":0,"name":"Aisha Al 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