Resorptive arthropathy in rheumatoid arthritis

Our survey was undertaken to determine the prevalence of resorptive arthropathy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A group of 256 patients with classical or definite RA were studied and resorptive arthropathy was noted in 13 (5.1%). The age and sex ratio of the patients with resorptive arthropathy was similar to the remainder of the patients, but the duration of RA was significantly greater (p = 0.003). Patients with resorptive arthropathy had severe radiographic changes. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of nodules, a positive rheumatoid factor or antinuclear factor and functional classification (American Rheumatism Association) in patients with resorptive arthropathy when compared to the remainder of the patients. Our study shows that, in a hospital based study of patients with RA, resorptive arthropathy may be commoner than generally recognized, and its prevalence may be similar to the findings in psoriatic arthritis.