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Table 4 Description of studies on rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

From: What is the prevalence of musculoskeletal problems in the elderly population in developed countries? A systematic critical literature review

First author Publ. year Country

Study design / Population /Method of collection

Sample size

Crude response rate (%)

Outcome definition

Outcome assessment method

Prevalence period

Age

Prevalence* (95% CI)

Risk of bias

  

Total

M

F

     

M

F

Total

 

Andrianakos [10] 2006 Greece

1966-99, (19+ yo), the total adult population in 7 mixed communities + random sample in another 2 mixed communities (the ESORDIG study). Home visit by a rheumatologist. Interview and examination

8740

4269

4471

82

ACR 1987 criteria

Self report + examination

Point

60-69

  

0.9

L

70+

0.9

Carmona [11] 2001 Spain

(20+ yo), a stratified multistage cluster sampling from the censuses of 20 municipalities. Postal questionnaire + interview by a rheumatologist

2192

1014

1178

73

ACR criteria, based on modified questionnaire

Self report

Point

60-69

  

1.0

L

70-79

0.5

80+

2.7

Collerton [12] 2009 UK

2006-7, (85+ yo), all people born in 1921, permanently registered with a participating GP in Newcastle upon Tyne or North Tyneside primary care trusts (the Newcastle 85+ Study). Medical records at the GP

853

323

530

59

Not stated

Medical record

Point

85

0.5

5.1

3.5

U

Englund [13] 2010 Sweden

2008, (20+ yo), all patients diagnosed with RA registered in the Skåne Health Care Register, southern Sweden. Data from a national registry

931316

27%

73%

N/A

Diagnosis of RA given by a specialist in rheumatology or internal medicine

National register

Point

65-74

1.0

1.9

1.5

L

75-84

1.0

1.7

1.5

85+

1.2

1.2

1.1

Hanova [14] 2006 Czech Republic

2002, (16+ yo), all patients diagnosed before 28th February reported by all rheumatologists, other specialists, and almost all GPs. Medical records from GPs.

?

?

?

N/A

ACR 1987 clinical criteria

Medical record

Point

60-69

0.6

2.3

 

U

70-79

0.6

2.9

80+

0.5

0.8

Laiho [15] 2001 Finland

1989, (75, 80 & 85 yo), a computer-generated random sample from the population register, Helsinki & Vantaa (the Helsinki Ageing Study & the Vantaa study). Interview and examination

1317

484

833

76-96

ACR 1987 clinical criteria

Self report + examination

Point

75

2.8

1.2

1.7

U

80

0

1.4

1.0

85

0

1.3

1.0

Neovius [16] 2010 Sweden

2008, (16+ yo), patients with a clinical visit listing an RA diagnosis were identified in inpatient and outpatient specialist care in the National Patient Register (1964–2007) together with patients listed in the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register (SRQ; 1995–2007). National register

58102

?

?

?

Any visit listing an RA diagnosis was used to define RA.

National register

Point

60-69

0.9

2.1

1.5

L

70-79

1.3

2.6

2.0

80+

1.5

2.7

2.2

Ollivier [17] 2004 France

1996, (18+ yo), a random sample from the official list of phone numbers in Brittany. Telephone interviews by a rheumatologist

1672

0

1672

92

ACR 1987 clinical criteria

Self report + examination

Point

60-69

 

1.5

 

L

70-79

1.1

80-89

1.4

Picavet [18] 2003 The Netherlands

1998, (25+ yo), a 6 months follow-up on a baseline stratified random sample taken from the population register (the Dutch population-based Musculoskeletal Complaints and Consequences Cohort study, DMC3-study). Postal questionnaire

2338

?

?

85

"Please indicate whether a physician or medical specialist has ever told you that you have one or more of the following diseases [RA]”

Self repot

Point

65-74

  

6

H

75+

10

Rasch [19] 2003 USA

1988-94, (60+ yo), a multistage, stratified probability sample representative of the civilian non-institutionalized population residing in the 50 states of the USA. Home interviews and examination at mobile centers

5302

?

?

80

ACR 1987 clinical criteria: 3 out of 6 criteria met (“n of k”)

Self report + laboratory results

Point

60+

1.6 (0.8-2.4)

2.4 (1.4-3.4)

 

L

Rasch [19] 2003 USA

1988-94, (60+ yo), a multistage, stratified probability sample representative of the civilian non-institutionalized population residing in the 50 states of the USA. Home interviews and examination at mobile centers

5302

?

?

80

ACR 1987 clinical criteria: allowing surrogate classification variables when a primary classification variable is unavailable (“classification tree”)

Self report + laboratory results

Point

60+

1.6 (0.8-2.4)

2.6 (1.6-3.6)

 

L

Riise [20] 2000 Norway

1987 & 1996, (20+), all records of patients registered at the Department of Rheumatology at the University Hospital of Tromsø [only 1996 prevalence reported here]

2282

?

?

?

ACR 1987 clinical criteria (ICD-9 diagnoses 714.0 and 714.9) in medical records and subsequently critical reviews by a senior consultant

Medical record

Point

60-69

0.9

1.4

1.2

L

70-79

0.9

1.9

1.5

80-89

1.3

1.3

1.5

90+

0.2

0.6

0.4

Symmons [21] 2002 UK

(16+), a two-stage stratified random sample from 11 GPs in Norfolk (GPs allowed to exclude certain patients). Postal questionnaire and examination at the GP

5424

?

?

77

A modified version of the ACR 1987 criteria for symptomatic RA followed by a clinical assessment

Clinical assessment

Point

65-74

1.5 (0.8-3.0)

3.3 (1.9-5.9)

 

U

         

75+

3.1 (1.7-5.5)

5.4 (3.1-9.3)

  
  1. *Prevalence estimates without decimals are obtained from figures/graphs in the article and should be interpreted with caution.
  2. I: Interview, Q: Questionnaire; E: Examination, R: Register. L: Low, U: Unclear, H: High.
  3. GP: General practitioner; ACR: The American College of Rheumatology (ACR clinical criteria for RA [22]).