RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Prevalence of rheumatic diseases in Greece: a cross-sectional population based epidemiological study. The ESORDIG Study. JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 1589 OP 1601 VO 30 IS 7 A1 Alexandros Andrianakos A1 Panagiotis Trontzas A1 Fotis Christoyannis A1 Petros Dantis A1 Costas Voudouris A1 Athanasios Georgountzos A1 George Kaziolas A1 Elizabeth Vafiadou A1 Kyriaki Pantelidou A1 Dimitrios Karamitsos A1 Leonidas Kontelis A1 Petros Krachtis A1 Zouboulio Nikolia A1 Evaggelia Kaskani A1 Elpiniki Tavaniotou A1 Christos Antoniades A1 George Karanikolas A1 Anastasia Kontoyanni A1 ESORDIG Study YR 2003 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/30/7/1589.abstract AB OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in Greek urban, suburban, and rural adult general populations. METHODS: This cross-sectional population based epidemiological study of rheumatic diseases in Greece (the ESORDIG Study) was conducted on the total adult population of 2 urban, one suburban, and 4 rural communities (8547 subjects), as well as on 2100 out of 5686 randomly selected subjects in one suburban and one rural community. The study, based on a standardized questionnaire and clinical evaluation and laboratory investigation when necessary, was carried out by rheumatologists who visited the target population at their homes. Either established classification criteria or criteria set for the purposes of the study were used for diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 8740 subjects participated in the study (response rate 82.1%). The overall age and sex adjusted prevalence (prevalence(asa)) of rheumatic diseases in the total target adult population was 26.9% (95% CI 26.2-27.6), being significantly higher among women (33.7%) than men (19.9%) (p < 0.0005). Disease prevalence(asa) increased significantly with age (p < 0.0005). The most common disease group was low back pain, with a prevalence(asa) of 11.0%, followed by symptomatic peripheral osteoarthritis (7.9%), neck pain (4.8%), miscellaneous rheumatic disorders (4.4%), soft tissue rheumatism disorders (4.3%), and inflammatory rheumatic disease (2.1%). Logistic regression analysis showed a significant positive association of female or male sex, age >or= 50 years, high body mass index, low level of education, moderate or heavy alcohol consumption, and high socioeconomic level with particular diseases or disease groups. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate rheumatic diseases are very common in the general adult population of Greece; 26.9% of adults currently have active or chronic rheumatic disease in remission.