Characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis in a male population.

A population of males and females with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis was studied. The males seem to have more severe disease with positive latex fixation, radiographic changes and rheumatoid nodules than is reported in the literature and the female comparison population. This difference can probably be explained because most studies have a female preponderance and our experience suggests that the disease is more severe in males.