Pattern Of Rheumatoid Arthritis In Egypt:

Ali Ibrahim Fouda

SUI’II’IARY AND CONCLUSIONOur work represent a retrospective study designed todelineate the pattern of rheumatoid arthritlz among theEgyptian population.This study included 1169 patients suffering fromrheumatoid arthritis according to the 1987 revised A.ericanRheumatism Association criteria (Arnett et al., 1988).The results of this study showed the followingl* The male to female ratio was 113.9.* The mean age of examined cases was 42.27 ~ 12.24.* The mean age of onset of the disease was 3a.82~12.16.* 14.65% of patients showed positive family history of thedisease in their families.* There was a history of a precipitating factor prior tothe disease onset in 5.83% of patients.* The small joints of the hands were the commonest jointsinvolved at the disease onset.* Deformities were present in 33.45% of patients.* Flexion deformity of the elbows was the most commondeformity (23.7%) followed by ulnar deviation (8.3X).* Extra-articular manifestations were present in 49.17% ofpatients.* Dryness of mouth was the most common form of extra-142articular manifestations (21.73~), followed by dryness ofeyes (9.07~), while vasculitis was the least common formof extra-articular manifestations seen in our patients(O.6~).* Subcutaneous nodules were found in 7.6~ of our patients.* Pulmonary, cardiac and neurologicalnot seen in our patients.complications were* Most of examined cases (61.01~) had mild disability(Grade II) according to Steinbrocker classification offunctional capacity.* Rheumatoid factor was positive in 68.-/5~ of patients.* There were no significan~ differences between theseropositive and the seronegative patientsfrequency of joint involvement, functionalpresence of extra-articular manifestations.* There were no significant differences between differentage groups as regards frequency of joint involvement andfunctional capacity.as regardscapacity or* The deformities were commoner in patients of younger agegroup, and the difference in the presence of deformitiesin different age groups was highly significant.CONCLUSION_In conclusion we can say that rheumatoid arthritisamong the Egyptian population runs a relatively mild143course. The pattern of the disease among the Egyp’ianpopulation does not differ greatly from the pattern of thedisea.e among other population. eKcept in the ab.ence of.erious life threatening systemic manifestations.