title: Rheumatoid arthritis in a population sample in the Gulf: clinical observations.
abstract: In our practice we had constantly been under the impression that most Arab patients with RA tend to have a non-aggressive and rather nondisabling disease. Therefore, the spectrum of RA was studied in 42 hospital patients with classic or definite forms. Their mean age was 41.2 years and the mean duration of illness was 5.25 years. F:M ratio was 3.6:1. Seropositivity and radiological findings were observed in 59.5% and 45.2% of the patients respectively. They showed a marked lack of nonarticular manifestations with insignificant functional incapacity. The over-all assessment appeared to be in agreement with the initial clinical impression.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department of Mafraq Hospital, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: al Attia
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Gatee
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Masri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012217:Rheumatoid Factor