title: Epidemiologic study of soft tissue rheumatism in Shantou and Taiyuan, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Soft tissue rheumatism is a group of common rheumatic disorders reported in many countries. For investigating the prevalence rate of soft tissue rheumatism in different population in China, we carried out a population study in Shantou rural and Taiyuan urban area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of 3915 adults in an urban area of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, and 2350 in a rural area of Shantou, Guangdong Province were surveyed. Modified International League of Association for Rheumatology (ILAR)-Asia Pacific League of Association for Rheumatology (APLAR) Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) core questionnaire was implemented as screening tool. The positive responders were then all examined by rheumatologists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence rate of soft tissue rheumatism was 2.0% in Taiyuan, and 5.3% in Shantou. Rotator cuff (shoulder) tendinitis, adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), and digital flexor tenosynovitis (trigger finger) were the commonly seen soft tissue rheumatism in both areas. Tatarsalgia, plantar fasciitis, and De Quervain's tenosynovitis were more commonly seen in Shantou than that in Taiyuan. Only 1 case of fibromyalgia was found in Taiyuan and 2 cases in Shantou. The prevalence of soft tissue rheumatism varied with age, sex and occupation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Soft tissue rheumatism is common in Taiyuan and Shantou, China. The prevalence of soft tissue rheumatism was quite different with different geographic, environmental, and socioeconomic conditions; and varying with age, sex, and occupation. The prevalence of fibromyalgia is low in the present survey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong 515041, China. qyzeng@stu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Qing-yu
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Chang-hai
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Su-biao
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiao-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zheng-yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Hai-yuan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ai-lian
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ren
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002062:Bursitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology; D013717:Tenosynovitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult