Pericardial and pulmonary involvement in rheumatoid arthritis in Turkey.
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 of 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.
Imeryüz
N
N
Department of Medicine, Cerraphpaşa Medical Faculty, University of Istanbul, Turkey.
Yazici
H
H
Koçak
H
H
Erk
M
M
Ozder
A
A
Karcier
S M
SM
Ozkan
M
M
Ongen
G
G
Yurdakul
S
S
Ozdoğan
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012907:Smoking; D014421:Turkey