[Prevalence of ocular manifestation in 198 patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a retrospective study].
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of eye manifestations in the local rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population, as well as to know if the presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) affect this profile. To study if there is association between eye manifestations and patient's articular functional index, age at diagnosis and illness duration.


METHODS
We reviewed 198 charts of rheumatoid arthritis patients followed-up from 2003 to 2006. They were studied for: prevalence of ophthalmologic manifestations, autoantibody profile, demographic data and Steinbrock's functional index.


RESULTS
Secondary Sjögren's syndrome was seen in 12.1% of the patients being more common in women (p=0.049) and in patients with greater articular damage (p=0.016). Ulcerative keratitis and scleritis appeared in 2% of patients each. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and rheumatoid factor (RF) as well as illness duration and age at diagnosis had no influence in the appearance of eye manifestations.


CONCLUSIONS
Secondary Sjögren syndrome was the most common ocular manifestation in patients with RA, mainly in women and patients with greater joint damage.
Bettero
Raphael Guimarães
RG
Faculdade Evangélica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
Cebrian
Ricardo Faraco Martinez
RF
Skare
Thelma Larocca
TL
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis; D015423:Scleritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor