الفهرس 
Materials and methodsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
SUI’II’IARY AND CONCLUSION
Our work represent a retrospective study designed to
delineate the pattern of rheumatoid arthritlz among the
Egyptian population.
This study included 1169 patients suffering from
rheumatoid arthritis according to the 1987 revised A.erican
Rheumatism Association criteria (Arnett et al., 1988).
The results of this study showed the followingl
* The male to female ratio was 113.9.
* The mean age of examined cases was 42.27 ~ 12.24.
* The mean age of onset of the disease was 3a.82~12.16.
* 14.65% of patients showed positive family history of the
disease in their families.
* There was a history of a precipitating factor prior to
the disease onset in 5.83% of patients.
* The small joints of the hands were the commonest joints
involved at the disease onset.
* Deformities were present in 33.45% of patients.
* Flexion deformity of the elbows was the most common
deformity (23.7%) followed by ulnar deviation (8.3X).
* Extra-articular manifestations were present in 49.17% of
patients.
* Dryness of mouth was the most common form of extra-
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articular manifestations (21.73~), followed by dryness of
eyes (9.07~), while vasculitis was the least common form
of extra-articular manifestations seen in our patients
(O.6~).
* Subcutaneous nodules were found in 7.6~ of our patients.
* Pulmonary, cardiac and neurological
not seen in our patients.
complications were
* Most of examined cases (61.01~) had mild disability
(Grade II) according to Steinbrocker classification of
functional capacity.
* Rheumatoid factor was positive in 68.-/5~ of patients.
* There were no significan~ differences between the
seropositive and the seronegative patients
frequency of joint involvement, functional
presence of extra-articular manifestations.
* There were no significant differences between different
age groups as regards frequency of joint involvement and
functional capacity.
as regards
capacity or
* The deformities were commoner in patients of younger age
group, and the difference in the presence of deformities
in different age groups was highly significant.
CONCLUSION_
In conclusion we can say that rheumatoid arthritis
among the Egyptian population runs a relatively mild
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course. The pattern of the disease among the Egyp’ian
population does not differ greatly from the pattern of the
disea.e among other population. eKcept in the ab.ence of
.erious life threatening systemic manifestations.