RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Prevalence of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Chile: A Nationwide Study Performed as Part of the National Health Survey
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 951
OP 958
DO 10.3899/jrheum.190396
VO 47
IS 7
A1 Josefina Durán
A1 Loreto Massardo
A1 Carolina Llanos
A1 Sergio Iacobelli
A1 Paula I. Burgos
A1 Marcela Cisternas
A1 Mirentxu Iruretagoyena
A1 Macarena Armstrong
A1 Raquel Aguilera
A1 Francisco Radrigán
A1 María Eugenia Martinez
A1 Alvaro Passi-Solar
A1 Pablo Riedemann
A1 Natalia Crisóstomo
A1 Camila Cifuentes
A1 Lucero Hagedorn
A1 Alvaro Cisternas
A1 Nancy Vasquez
A1 Paula Margozzini
A1 the ENS2017 Study Group
YR 2020
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/47/7/951.abstract
AB Objective. Genetic and environmental backgrounds influence the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In Latin America, epidemiologic data are scarce. We aimed to determine the prevalence of RA in Chile in a population-based study.Methods. The National Health Survey was a cross-sectional household survey with a stratified multistage probability sample of 6233 participants performed between August 2016 and March 2017. A screening instrument for RA was applied to a random sample of 3847 subjects > 30 years old. Positive screening was defined by at least 1 of the following: 2 swollen joints for at least 4 consecutive weeks (past/present), and/or a diagnosis of arthritis in the past. Individuals with positive screening had rheumatoid factor, anticitrullinated protein antibodies, and C-reactive protein measured, as well as clinical examination performed by a rheumatologist. Self-report of doctor-diagnosed RA was also performed.Results. The screening questionnaire was applied to 2998 subjects. A positive screening was found for 783 (22.1%). Among subjects with positive screening, 493 (66%) had a clinical evaluation performed by a rheumatologist. Using the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2010 classification criteria, prevalence was 0.6% (95% CI 0.3–1.2). Prevalence was higher in women, and 3.3% of subjects self-reported having RA.Conclusion. According to this national population-based study, RA prevalence in Chile is 0.6% (0.3–1.2), a value similar to what has been found in developed countries and slightly lower than some Latin American countries. Self-reporting leads to overestimating RA.