RESEARCH - Radiologic findings of the lumbar spine in patients with RA, and a review of pathologic mechanisms

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Radiologic findings of the lumbar spine in patients with rheumatoid

arthritis, and a review of pathologic mechanisms

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

KAWAGUCHI Yoshiharu (1) ; MATSUNO Hiroaki (1) ; KANAMORI Masahiko (1) ;

ISHIHARA Hirokazu (1) ; OHMORI Kazuo (1) ; KIMURA Tomoatsu (1) ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

(1) Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical

University, Toyama, JAPON

Résumé / Abstract

We have analyzed the radiologic findings on the lumbar spine and the

clinical symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A total of 106

patients who fulfilled the revised criteria of the American Rheumatism

Association were subjected. All of the patients were asked to fill out a

questionnaire about the existence of low back pain, leg pain, and leg

numbness. Radiologic features of the lumbar spine, including scoliosis,

spondylolisthesis, disc space narrowing, endplate erosion, osteophyte, and

osteoporosis, were checked. Radiographs of the cervical spine were also

taken. The clinical background of RA, such as mutilating disease or not, was

assessed. Forty-two patients (40%) had the symptoms of low back pain.

Abnormal radiologic findings in lumbar spine were detected in 57%. The

prevalence of clinical symptoms tended to be higher in the patients with

endplate erosion. Forty-two percent of the patients had both lumbar and

cervical lesions. The prevalence of lumbar lesion was not high in the

mutilating type of RA, except for facet erosion and severe osteoporosis. The

patients with pulse steroid therapy revealed a higher prevalence of

vertebral fracture. From these results, we concluded that lumbar lesions

were frequently observed in patients with RA. The possibility of lumbar

lesions as well as the lesions in the cervical spine and peripheral joints

should be examined in patients with RA.

Revue / Journal Title

Journal of spinal disorders & techniques (J. spinal disord. tech.) ISSN

1536-0652 Journal of spinal disorders and techniques

Source / Source

2003, vol. 16, no1, pp. 38-43 [6 page(s) (article)] (48 ref.)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

Lippincott and Wilkins, Hagerstown, MD, ETATS-UNIS (2002) (Revue)

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN & cpsidt=14597405

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Mayo Clinic in Rochester

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