%0 Journal Article %A Alberto Spindler %A Verónica Bellomio %A Alberto Berman %A Eleonora Lucero %A Marcelo Baigorria %A Silvia Paz %A Norma Garrone %A Alberto Ives Torres %A Olga Romano %A Ana Carraccio %A Olga Leal %A Ana Bazzano %A Dora Vazquez %A Oscar Pera %A Gustavo Arquez %A Marcos Valdez %A Hector Lazaro %A Silvia Rengel %A Emma Acosta %A Mirta Santana %T Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in Tucumán, Argentina. %D 2002 %J The Journal of Rheumatology %P 1166-1170 %V 29 %N 6 %X OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Tucumán, Argentina. METHODS: The study was conducted between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 1999, in Tucumán province in northwest Argentina. Outpatient and hospitalization medical records for all patients with RA aged > or = 16 years were reviewed. Diagnosis was by 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA and the population data were based on the 1991 national census. Prevalence rates, with 95% CI, were calculated using the number of San Miguel de Tucumán residents who fulfilled the 1987 ACR criteria for RA as numerator, and the city population aged > or = 16 as denominator. Crude and age-specific prevalence rates were calculated as number of cases/1,000 inhabitants. RESULTS: We identified 695 cases of RA. Sex-specific and overall prevalence rates (per 1,000) were 1.97 (95% CI 1.8-2) for all, 0.6 (95% CI 0.49-0.73) for men, 3.2 (95% CI 2.9-3.5) for women. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of RA is low in residents of Tucumán, Argentina, and comparable with rates observed in epidemiological surveys from Southern European countries. %U https://www.jrheum.org/content/jrheum/29/6/1166.full.pdf