title: Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in Tucumán, Argentina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Tucumán, Argentina.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, in Tucumán province in northwest Argentina. Outpatient and hospitalization medical records for all patients with RA aged > or = 16 years were reviewed. Diagnosis was by 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA and the population data were based on the 1991 national census. Prevalence rates, with 95% CI, were calculated using the number of San Miguel de Tucumán residents who fulfilled the 1987 ACR criteria for RA as numerator, and the city population aged > or = 16 as denominator. Crude and age-specific prevalence rates were calculated as number of cases/1,000 inhabitants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 695 cases of RA. Sex-specific and overall prevalence rates (per 1,000) were 1.97 (95% CI 1.8-2) for all, 0.6 (95% CI 0.49-0.73) for men, 3.2 (95% CI 2.9-3.5) for women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of RA is low in residents of Tucumán, Argentina, and comparable with rates observed in epidemiological surveys from Southern European countries.
authors.affiliation: The Tucamán Rheumatology Society and the Rheumatology Postgraduate Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina. albertospindler@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spindler
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bellomio
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lucero
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baigorria
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Garrone
authors.forename: Alberto Ives
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carraccio
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bazzano
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vazquez
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pera
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arquez
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lazaro
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rengel
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: Mirta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution