title: Epidemiological study of patients with connective tissue diseases in Brazil.
abstract: To study the prevalence of connective tissue disorders and identify the epidemiological profile of the population from the northern and northeastern regions of Brazil. All patients admitted to the general medical ward at Getulio Vargas Hospital were screened through history and physical examination for the existence of known, suspected or possible connective tissue disorder. A total of 120 patients were enrolled in the study - 61 (50.8%) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 41 (34.2%) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 16 (13.3%) with systemic sclerosis (SS), one (0.8%) with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and one (0.8%) with polymyositis (PM). Women accounted for (104) 86.7% of the participants and (83) 70.9% were non-Caucasians. The mean age was 36.8 years. Alopecia was the most frequent symptom (55/46.6%), followed by other cutaneous lesions (50/42.4%), dyspnea (47/39.8%) and chest pain (39/33.0%). The most frequent rheumatologic disorder encountered in our hospital-based study population was systemic lupus erythematosus, which is contrary to findings of the majority of studies performed in this country.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, Federal University of Piauí, Rua Paissandu, 1772-Centro, Teresina-Piauí CEP 64001-120, Brazil. esteios@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Maria Do Socorro Teixeira Moreira
authors.initials: Mdo S
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Manoel Barros
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bértolo
authors.forename: Benedito Borges
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.forename: Antônio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Deus Filho
authors.forename: Mayra Moreira
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Fabíola Ferreira Hortêncio
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Veras
authors.forename: Luciano Cardoso
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Mendes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008947:Mixed Connective Tissue Disease; D017285:Polymyositis; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology