RESEARCH - Foot problems in arthritis patients often neglected

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Foot Problems in Arthritis Patients Often Neglected

By Jill Stein

PARIS (Reuters Health) Jun 16 - Rheumatologists need to pay more

attention to the foot complaints of their rheumatoid arthritis

patients, researchers said here at the European Union League Against

Rheumatology (EULAR) 2008 Congress.

Dr. Simon Otter, Podiatry Course Leader at the University of Brighton

(UK) and colleagues made this recommendation based on the results of

their study showing that foot problems such as such as pain,

stiffness, swelling, and numbness can severely undercut quality of

life in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

" While foot complaints are common in rheumatoid arthritis patients,

studies that have included the feet have reported the findings of

clinical examination, such as the prevalence of deformities or

radiological assessments, and have excluded quality of life measures, "

he explained.

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Read the entire article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/576153

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