Darmawan J, Muirden K D, Valkenburg H A, Wigley R D
Department of Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Br J Rheumatol. 1993 Jul;32(7):537-40. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/32.7.537.
The prevalence of RA was investigated as part of a house-to-house survey of musculoskeletal pain in a total population of 4683 rural and 1071 urban subjects 15 years of age and over in Central Java. Those identified as having peripheral joint pain of more than 6 weeks duration (82 men and 129 women) were examined by a rheumatologist (JD) and serology tests and X-rays arranged. The prevalence of definite RA by ARA criteria was 0.2% in rural and 0.3% in urban subjects. The severity of diagnosed cases was indicated by Steinbrocker's functional classification of grades 2 and 3 and erosive arthritis on hand X-rays of grades 2-4. The low prevalence rate of RA compared with that found in developed countries is due partly to the different age structure of the population and lower life expectancy. There is also evidence of high mortality from the disease. This is thought to be due to the deprived socio-economic circumstances, the intermittent use of high dose corticosteroids and the frequent presence of severe infections in these communities. These factors should be considered when assessing the low prevalence of RA in surveys in other developing countries.
作为对中爪哇省4683名农村和1071名15岁及以上城市居民进行的肌肉骨骼疼痛逐户调查的一部分，对类风湿关节炎（RA）的患病率进行了调查。那些被确定患有持续超过6周的外周关节疼痛的人（82名男性和129名女性）由一名风湿病学家（JD）进行检查，并安排了血清学检测和X光检查。根据美国风湿病学会（ARA）标准，确诊为RA的患病率在农村人群中为0.2%，在城市人群中为0.3%。已确诊病例的严重程度通过斯坦布鲁克功能分级2级和3级以及手部X光显示的2 - 4级侵蚀性关节炎来表明。与发达国家相比，RA的患病率较低，部分原因是人口年龄结构不同以及预期寿命较低。也有证据表明该疾病的死亡率很高。这被认为是由于社会经济状况较差、间歇性使用高剂量皮质类固醇以及这些社区频繁出现严重感染所致。在评估其他发展中国家调查中RA患病率较低的情况时，应考虑这些因素。
