title: Rheumatoid esophageal disease.
abstract: Esophageal diameters were measured in the roentgenogram in 43 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in 43 healthy subjects matched by sex and age. The incidence of esophageal dilatation in rheumatoid patients was significantly higher than that of healthy subjects (P LESS THAN 0.01). Higher incidence of esophageal dilatation was seen in groups with pulmonary fibrosis and with subcutaneous nodules (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.05 respectively). An orderly relationship between the incidence of esophageal dilatation and the grades of RA test, stage of joint x-ray, or duration of disease were shown. These results suggest the existence of "rheumatoid esophageal disease".
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000150:complications; D012737:Sex Factors