Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences
DOI
10.3906/sag-1305-135
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are 2 common rheumatic diseases that are frequent causes of disability. In this descriptive study, demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings of patients with RA and AS being followed in a tertiary care center in Turkey were reported. Materials and methods: The patient data of 45 RA and 45 AS cases were collected retrospectively from electronic medical records. Demographic findings, clinical and laboratory assessments of disease activity, drugs used for the treatment, and effect on quality of life of patients with RA and AS were analyzed. Results: In RA patients, 27% had mild, 44% had moderate, and 29% had severe disease and 25% of the patients had satisfactory functional state. In AS patients, the mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score was 4.6 ± 2.3 and 64% had active disease. Sixteen percent of the patients with AS reported satisfactory functional state. In RA cases, the highest percentage of patients were treated with biological agents. In AS cases, 24% of patients were treated with NSAIDs and 22% received biological agents. Conclusion: In our tertiary care center, the majority of patients with RA and AS had active disease with unsatisfactory functional states.
Keywords
Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, demographics
First Page
595
Last Page
600
Recommended Citation
CEMEROĞLU, ÖZLEM; YAŞAR, ZEYNEP SILA; SAĞLAM, MUSTAFA; and ÇAKIRBAY, HAŞİM
(2014)
"Clinical and demographic findings of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis treated in a tertiary care center in Turkey,"
Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences: Vol. 44:
No.
4, Article 11.
https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-1305-135
Available at:
https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/medical/vol44/iss4/11