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The prevalence of rheumatic diseases in the elderly in developed countries and its evolution over time
Marjorie M Mariller1, Brigitte Santos-Eggimann
1Institut Universitaire de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Lausanne, Switzerland. mmm2127@columbia.edu
Objectives:
This study aims at evaluating the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in the elderly and its evolution over time.
Methods:
We present a systematic international literature review of the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in the elderly and its evolution over time.
Results:
The estimated current prevalence of rheumatic diseases among people aged 65 and more varies between 41% and 53%, and is similar to estimated prevalence rates in studies performed before 1990 (35-55%). The prevalence is high and seems to increase rapidly with age. Furthermore, women suffer more frequently from rheumatic diseases than men.
Conclusion:
The selected studies included a large range of methods, making comparisons difficult. However, estimates of the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in the elderly appear to be homogeneous in different countries and stable since 1980.
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