title: Evaluation of the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Significance of age at onset and sex.
abstract: The limb joints of 188 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were classified according to the LARSEN scoring system. The mean degree of involvement was approximately a linear function of the square root of the duration of the disease. A mild course in the elbows and metacarpophalangeal joints, and a severe course in the distal interphalangeal joints of the fingers and toes were related to age over 40 years at onset of the disease. A severe course in most of the hands occurred in women.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012737:Sex Factors