[Rheumatoid factor activity, age at manifestation and roentgenologic progression of rheumatoid arthritis--a retrospective study].

The outcome of RF-activity (measured by hemagglutination in the modification of Podliachouk-Harboe) was investigated in 95 patients with RA. In 52 of these patients the radiological progression (modification of Larsen index for hands and feet) in correlation to the outcome of RF was assessed. The results can be summarized in the following way: 1. Elderly RA patients show a significant elevation of RF titer. 2. There is a statistically insignificant correlation between age of RA manifestation and RF level. 3. The investigation of individual RF outcome shows that 54% of the patients have a relatively constant RF level, 15% tend to a decrease of the level of RF activity. Increased RF activity could only be demonstrated in 31% of the patients in the follow-up. 4. We more often observed a decrease of RF activity in RA cases with a disease manifestation < 30 y. We found no significant decrease in the follow-up in cases with manifestation > 60 y. 5. RA patients with a high level of RF activity (HAR > 1:512) have a significantly higher radiological progression index than cases with a low RF activity (HAR < 1:512).