Rev Rhum Mal Osteoartic. 1992 Sep;59(6):37S-42S.

[Current aspects of inflammatory rheumatic diseases in elderly patients].

Revue du rhumatisme et des maladies osteo-articulaires

[Article in French]
J J Dubost, B Sauvezie

PMID: 1485129

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are the most common rheumatologic diseases encountered in older patients. However, other disorders including spondylarthropathy and a variety of connective tissue diseases also occur in the elderly. PMR and the RS3PE syndrome seem to occur only in the elderly, although their symptoms may be difficult to differentiate from those of other conditions. Late-onset RA and, above all, late-onset spondylarthritis may have unusual presentations responsible for diagnostic mistakes. Pitting edema is typical of RS3PE syndrome but may also occur in other rheumatic diseases. This symptom seems to be associated with advanced age rather than with a specific cause. Because of these many unusual features, rheumatologic diseases in the elderly are often difficult to diagnose and to differentiate from a variety of other rheumatologic or nonrheumatologic conditions.

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MeSH terms

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid / diagnosis
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy
• Connective Tissue Diseases / diagnosis
• Connective Tissue Diseases / drug therapy
• Connective Tissue Diseases / epidemiology
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Giant Cell Arteritis / diagnosis
• Giant Cell Arteritis / drug therapy
• Humans
• Male
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica / diagnosis
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica / drug therapy
• Rheumatic Diseases / diagnosis
• Rheumatic Diseases / drug therapy
• Rheumatic Diseases / epidemiology
• Spondylitis, Ankylosing / diagnosis
• Spondylitis, Ankylosing / drug therapy

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• English Abstract
• Journal Article
• Review

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