Objective. To develop and validate revised criteria for global functional status in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods. Revised criteria were formulated and tested for criterion and discriminant validity in 325 patients with RA.Resulfs. The revised criteria developed are as follows: class I = able to perform usual activities of daily living (self-care, vocational, and avocational); class 11 = able to perform usual self-care and vocational activities, but limited in avocational activities; class I11 = able to perform usual self-care activities but limited in vocational and avocational activities; class IV = limited in ability to perform usual self-care, vocational, and avocational activities. Usual self-care activities include dressing, feeding, bathing, grooming, and toileting; vocational and avocational activities are both patientdesired and age-, and sex-specific. The distribution
Hip involvement in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common and disabling problem. The clinical and x-ray records of 87 patients with definite AS (Rome criteria) were examined to define and characterize their hip disease. Clinical hip disease was present in 33 cases (38%), was usually bilateral (91%), and tended to begin early in the disease course; it was the cause of 50% of the Class III and IV disability in the entire study group. Typical findings included regional pain, limitation of motion, muscle atrophy, and flexion contractures. Radiologic hip abnormalities occurred in 42 cases (48%). The radiographic pattern was distinctive when compared to that in two control groups and included axial migration of the femoral head (63%), concentric joint space narrowing (50%), rufflike femoral osteophytosis (36%), and protrusio acetabuli (30%). Eight patients required bilateral hip surgery. Para-articular ossification occurred in 8 of 16 replaced hips; in 5 of 8 hips it caused clinical immobility. This potentially serious complication may limit the usefulness of hip arthroplasty in some AS patients.
A clinical and radiographic study of 98 patients with definite ankylosing spondylitis (Rome criteria) was undertaken to evaluate differences in men and women with the disease. Clinical manifestations which were atypical in the 18 female patients when compared to those of the men included older age of disease onset, higher incidence of initial and subsequent peripheral joint disease, more common cervical spine symptomatology, and milder disease course. Radiographic differences in the women included a high incidence of cervical spine abnormalities, a combination of cervical spine and sacroiliac joint alterations with a normal intervening thoracic and lumbar segment, and frequent and severe osteitis pubis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.