Flattening of the rheumatoid foot in tarsal arthritis on X-ray.
222 consecutive and unselected patients suffering form classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis wee studied. 397 of their feet were examined. Talonavicular arthritis was the commonest finding (31.5% of all patients), followed by sub-talar (23.3%), cuneo-navicular (20.4%) cuneo-metatarsal (14.9%) and tibio-tarsal arthritis (12.6%). Rheumatoid disease of the tarsus becomes commoner as the disease progresses. The incidences of involvement of the talo-navicular and sub-talar joints show a similar pattern, with a leap of 25% between 5 years of duration of the disease and 10 years. The same is seen with involvement of the cuneo-navicular and cuneo-metatarsal joints, between a duration of 10 years of the disease and 15 years. The percentage of flat foot is greater in feet with tarsal arthritis (p less than 0.001). The authors observed a relationship between tarsal arthritis, the length of history of rheumatoid arthritis, and flat foot. The method of investigation is discussed, and theories about evolution of the rheumatoid foot are considered.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005413:Flatfoot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D013640:Tarsal Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013997:Time Factors