title: [The prevalence and clinical significance of arthritis in patients with systemic sclerosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the prevalence and independent influencing factors of arthritis in Chinese patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 248 SSc patients were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were compared in arthritis group and non-arthritis group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 248 Chinese SSc patients, mean age of onset was (37.1 ± 13.7) years old and disease duration was (7.4 ± 5.2) years. Overall prevalence of arthritis was 41.1% (102/248). The presence of arthralgia(95.1% vs 15.1%), muscle weakness (38.2% vs 24.7%), short of breath (60.8% vs 45.2%), and intestinal lung disease (64.7% vs 49.3%) occurred more frequently in patients with arthritis than those without arthritis (P < 0.05). The elevation of C reactive protein, anti-Sm and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide were more common in arthritis group than in non-arthritis group (61.4% vs 43.9%, 11.4% vs 2.5% and 28.1% vs 2/16, respectively). There were no obvious differences in the Rodnan score, digital ulcers, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and six-minute walk test between two groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals the significant prevalence of arthritis in a large cohort of SSc patients in China. Compared to non-arthritis patients, the SSc patients with arthritis have a more severe inflammation reaction and a higher rate of intestinal lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100032, China.
authors.forename: Chanyuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100032, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100032, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100032, China.
authors.forename: Mengtao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100032, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100032, China. Email: zengxiaofeng@medmail.com.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001323:Autoantibodies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary; D008168:Lung; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies