Prevalence of cervical lesions in rheumatoid arthritis: cross-sectional study on 263 patients

Abstract

Spinal lesions in upper and sublaxilar cervical vertebrae were studied radiologically in 263 patients (25 men and 238 women) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Their average age was 58.9 years, and their disease duration was ranged from 6 months to 24 years (mean 13 years). Functional lateral views of the cervical spine were made. Atlantaxial subluxation (AAS) and vertical subluxation (VS) were evaluated as upper cervical lesions. Subaxilar subluxation (SAS) and endplate erosion were evaluated as subaxilar cervical lesions. One hundred and seventy-eight (67.7%) of the patients had a cervical lesion. Upper and subaxilar cervical abnormalities were recognized in 136 (51.7%) and 113 (43.0%) patients, respectively. There was no linkage between upper and subaxilar cervical lesions. While the prevalence of these lesions increased with time, the frequency was found to be over 50% within only 5 years from onset in patients with mutilating deformity. This prevalence tended to be associated with disease activity.

Life expectancies of Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a review of deaths over a 20-year period

“…Long-term follow-up saw walking ability decline again, however, particularly in subjects who died, with a decline in ADLs seen in 29.0% prior to their death. Up to the early 1990s, the causes of this decline in ADLs were destruction of other joints, complications of arthroplasty [8,15], and cervical spine lesions [16,17]. Surgical advances saw less ADL decline due to complications of arthroplasty from the late 1990s on [18], and osteoporotic compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine, cerebrovascular disease and heart/respiratory failure became the main causes of a decline in ADLs.…”

Life expectancies of Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a review of deaths over a 20-year period

“…Long-term follow-up saw walking ability decline again, however, particularly in subjects who died, with a decline in ADLs seen in 29.0% prior to their death. Up to the early 1990s, the causes of this decline in ADLs were destruction of other joints, complications of arthroplasty [8,15], and cervical spine lesions [16,17]. Surgical advances saw less ADL decline due to complications of arthroplasty from the late 1990s on [18], and osteoporotic compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine, cerebrovascular disease and heart/respiratory failure became the main causes of a decline in ADLs.…”