[Incidence of Lyme borreliosis in a rheumatologic patient sample. Study of 153 patients of an internal medicine-rheumatologic ambulatory clinic].
OBJECTIVE
Arthritis of the large joints is considered a typical manifestation of Lyme disease. With an estimated incidence in the population of about 2%, Lyme disease arthritis would be expected to be a fairly common diagnosis in a rheumatology unit.


METHODS
In 153 successive patients seen in a rheumatology clinic of the University Hospital Frankfurt am Main, who had historical or clinical evidence of arthritis, the IgG antibody titers against Borrelia burgdorferi in the serum were compared with the clinical presentation.


RESULTS
Twelve patients had positive or borderline positive antibodies titers. In three of the 153 patients, the diagnosis of Lyme disease-associated arthritis appears possible, although not probable.


CONCLUSIONS
At least in the greater area of Frankfurt, Lyme disease as a differential diagnosis of arthritis is apparently of no great significance.
Falkenbach
A
A
Zentrum der Inneren Medizin, Universität Frankfurt/Main.
Wigand
R
R
Weber
B
B
Gottschalk
R
R
Doerr
H W
HW
Kaltwasser
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial