Prevalence of rheumatic diseases in Brazil: a study using the COPCORD approach.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in residents of Montes Claros, Brazil, of both sexes, aged above 16 years, using the COPCORD questionnaire.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of 3038 people; the sample was probabilistic, by conglomerates, multiple stages, within homogeneous strata, the sampling unit being the domicile. The COPCORD questionnaire was used for all subjects, and a rheumatologist evaluated those patients who presented pain and/or functional disability. Laboratory tests and radiographs of small and large joints were done in some patients to confirm the diagnosis. Subjects were identified by socioeconomic level in quintiles A, B, C, D, and E, A being the highest.


RESULTS
Two hundred nineteen patients were identified with rheumatic diseases, mean age 37 (SD 27) years, with female predominance. Seventy-seven (35.2%) were unemployed and socioeconomic level D was the most prevalent. Of all patients with rheumatic disease, osteoarthritis (OA) was observed in 126 (57.5%) patients, fibromyalgia (FM) in 76 (34.7%), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 14 (6.4%), and lupus in 3 (1.4%). Women were predominant in all diseases except OA. The mean (SD) age was 56 (12.7) years for OA, 43.2 (9.1) for FM, 53.4 (13.9) for RA, and 40 (14) for lupus.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of rheumatic diseases evaluated by the COPCORD questionnaire was 4.14% for OA, 2.5% for FM, 0.46% for RA, and 0.098% for lupus.
Department of Medicine, University of Montes Claros -- UNIMONTES, São Paulo, Brazil.
Erika Rodrigues
ER
Senna
Ana Letícia P
AL
De Barros
Edvânia O
EO
Silva
Isabella F
IF
Costa
Leonardo Victor B
LV
Pereira
Rozana Mesquita
RM
Ciconelli
Marcos Bosi
MB
Ferraz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires