RESEARCH - Prevalence of ocular manifestations in 198 patients with RA

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Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2008 May-Jun;71(3):365-9.

[Prevalence of ocular manifestation in 198 patients with rheumatoid

arthritis: a retrospective study][Article in Portuguese]

Bettero RG, Cebrian RF, Skare TL.

Faculdade Evangélica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.

PURPOSE: To study the prevalence of eye manifestations in the local

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population, as well as to know if the

presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA)

affect this profile. To study if there is association between eye

manifestations and patient's articular functional index, age at

diagnosis and illness duration.

METHODS: We reviewed 198 charts of rheumatoid arthritis patients

followed-up from 2003 to 2006. They were studied for: prevalence of

ophthalmologic manifestations, autoantibody profile, demographic data

and Steinbrock's functional index.

RESULTS: Secondary Sjögren's syndrome was seen in 12.1% of the

patients being more common in women (p=0.049) and in patients with

greater articular damage (p=0.016). Ulcerative keratitis and scleritis

appeared in 2% of patients each. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and

rheumatoid factor (RF) as well as illness duration and age at

diagnosis had no influence in the appearance of eye manifestations.

CONCLUSION: Secondary Sjögren syndrome was the most common ocular

manifestation in patients with RA, mainly in women and patients with

greater joint damage.

PMID: 18641822

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18641822

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