[Rheumatoid arthritis in Morocco. Apropos of 404 observations].
A retrospective study of 404 cases of rheumatoid arthritis seen in a department of internal medicine in Casablanca highlights a number of specific features of the disease in Morocco. Onset occurred early and mean age of patients was 34.4 years. Analysis of joint manifestations showed that the disease tended to be mild in the hips and perhaps in the cervical spine. Thirty-five percent of patients were Steinbrocker's class II and 25.5% had carpal bone fusion. Only 20 patients had severely erosive disease, which manifested as giant geodes in 8 cases and as main en lorgnette deformity in one case. Subcutaneous nodules (7.9%) and systemic visceral disorders were fairly infrequent. Only three cases of malignant rheumatoid arthritis were found. Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome was present in 13.6% of patients. Among comorbid conditions, thyroid gland diseases and tuberculosis were fairly common. Serologic tests were positive in 61.14% of cases, often in low titres. Gold salt therapy was well tolerated. No patients in this group had surgical treatment. These data suggest that in Morocco rheumatoid arthritis may be less aggressive than in Europe.
Service de Médecine Interne, CHU Ibnou Rochd, Casablanca, Maroc.
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Benamour
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Zeroual
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Fares
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el Kabli
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Bettal
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D050607:Organogold Compounds; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D050607:Organogold Compounds
Polyarthrite rhumatoïde au Maroc. A propos de 404 observations.