Rheumatoid arthritis: extra-articular manifestations, immunology and the role of methotrexate
Keywords:
rheumatoid arthritis, extra-articular manifestations, Sjõgren's syndrome, immunology, methotrexateAbstract
Objective: To determine the extraarticular manifestations, immunology and the role of methotrexate use in a population of 67 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods: The clinical charts from all the patients in our Unit with the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis were reviewed.
Results and conclusions: 83,6% of the patients were female, with a mean age of 59,5 years. The most prevalent extraarticular manifestations were anaemia (35,8%), liver cell enzyme abnormalities (26,9%) and pulmonary fibrosis (17,9%). Sjogren's
syndrome (16,4%), antiphospholipid syndrome (3%) and morphea (3%) were associated autoimune diseases. Patients were positive for rheumatoid factor in 80,3%, for antinuclear antibodies in 26,9% and for antiphospholipid antibodies in 39,1%. Methotrexate was used in 71,4%, and was stopped in 6,3% for Jack of clinical response and in 7,9% because of toxicity.
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