Clinical Characteristics of Elderly Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis.
10.4235/jkgs.2010.14.4.227
- Author:
Hyun Ok KIM
1
;
Ho Sung YOON
;
Seung Ki KWOK
;
Ji Hyeon JU
;
Kyung Su PARK
;
Sung Hwan PARK
;
Ho Youn KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Elderly onset rheumatoid arthritis;
Younger onset rheumatoid arthritis;
Rheumatoid arthritis
- MeSH:
Aged;
Arthritis, Rheumatoid;
Blood Sedimentation;
C-Reactive Protein;
Female;
Humans;
Incidence;
Joints;
Knee Joint;
Male;
Prognosis;
Rheumatoid Factor;
Rheumatology;
Shoulder Joint
- From:Journal of the Korean Geriatrics Society
2010;14(4):227-233
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Elderly onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) affects people older than 60 years of age and is different from younger onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA) in several aspects. EORA is seen in each sex equally, has more large joint involvement and is associated with a higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). In this study, we compared the clinical and laboratory data of these two conditions. METHODS: Our subjects included 230 patients meeting the American College of Rheumatology criteria for rheumatoid arthritis. We compared the clinical manifestation, medication history and laboratory data including rheumatoid factor, anti-nuclear antibody, ESR, C-reactive protein and total sharp score of EORA and YORA. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was 1:2.5 in EORA and 1:5.6 in YORA (p=0.016). The mean age was 74+/-5.3 years in EORA and 47+/-8.9 years in YORA. ESR was higher for EORA (52.8+/-35.6 mm/hr) than for YORA (40.2+/-29.2 mm/hr) (p=0.004). A positive RF was seen more often in EORA (75%) than in YORA (67%) (p=0.027). Shoulder joint pain was more common in EORA (41.0%) than in YORA (21.6%) (p=0.001) as was knee joint pain, 77.1% and 48.8%(p<0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: EORA showed a relatively higher incidence in males and had more large joint involvement than YORA. The higher abnormal values of ESR and rheumatoid factor seen in EORA might be associated with poor prognosis.
