PERICARDIAL AND PULMONARY INVOLVEMENT IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS IN TURKEY

IMERYUZ N., YAZICI H., KOCAK H., ERK M., OZDER A. B., KARCIER S., ...More

CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY, vol.13, no.2, pp.239-243, 1994 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 13 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 1994
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/bf02249019
  • Journal Name: CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.239-243
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Pericardial and lung involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), suspected to be less severe in a developing nation (Turkey), have been evaluated. We have studied clinical, echocardiographic and pulmonary findings (radiological and functional) in 93 consecutive Turkish patients with definite/classical RA. Findings were compared with those or a group of patients with osteoarthritis or local rheumatological conditions (n = 60) in a blind protocol. Fifty patients with systemic lupus (SLE) were studied as a high risk control group for pericardial involvement. While pericardial disease was detected in 5.5% (5/90) of RA patients, it was detected in 6.6% (4/60) of the control patients. SLE patients had a 26% (13/50) prevalence. Interstitial lung disease was found in 27.7% of RA patients but it was present in 6.6% (4/60) of the control patients. We observed that a group of patients with RA in Turkey had a low prevalence of pericardial disease. This is further evidence that RA has a mild course in developing countries.