NEWS: Rheumatoid arthritis severity similar in both sexes

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Rheumatoid arthritis severity similar in both sexes

Thu Aug 18, 2005 2:59 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While women with rheumatoid arthritis

outnumber men, the results of a recent French study indicate that sex

has little effect on the severity of the disease. Nonetheless, women

more frequently undergo joint surgery.

In a study published in the Journal of Rheumatology, Dr. Laure Gossec,

of Hopital Cochin, in Paris, and colleagues compared 133 male

rheumatoid arthritis patients with 133 female patients with the same

disease duration, about seven years.

The team collected data on demographic factors, patterns of joint

involvement, range of symptoms, medical treatment and joint surgery. In

addition, they obtained biological measures, genetic information,

X-rays of the hands and feet, and heath assessment questionnaire

results.

Women experienced sicca syndrome -- dryness of the eyes and mouth --

more frequently than men (35 percent versus 16 percent, respectively).

The authors observed no other differences in other arthritis-related

symptoms and health assessment questionnaire scores were comparable

between men and women.

Men and women did not differ in terms of genetic profile

distributions. At least one disease-associated gene was identified in

72.0 percent of men and 70.7 percent of women. However, 21 percent of

women had two disease-associated genes, compared with 11 percent of

men.

There were no other differences between the sexes in clinical,

biological or radiological indicators.

Compared with men, women were prescribed significantly more

disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD). The average number of

DMARD used was 3.3 and 2.8 for women and men, respectively. Overall,

43.6 percent of women received more than three DMARDs during follow-up,

compared with 32.3 percent of men. Corticosteroid drug use did not

differ between men and women.

Concerning surgery, there was no difference in the number of surgeries

to remove the joint lining or for large-joint replacement, Gossec's

team reports. However, women underwent more fusion and replacement

surgeries on smaller joints.

The investigators say the surgery findings are " interesting, " given

the lack of difference between men and women on X-ray findings.

Perhaps, they suggest, rheumatoid joint destruction is more disabling

in women, leading to more surgery.

SOURCE: Journal of Rheumatology, August 2005.

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