J Rheumatol
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Comparative Study
Sex hormone status in women suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
We studied the sex hormone status of 21 seropositive (IgM-RF) women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who were subdivided according to their premenopausal and postmenopausal status. Age matched women with secondary osteoarthritis were used as controls. ⋯ Statistically higher concentrations of T (p less than 0.05), A (p less than 0.05) and DHEAS (p less than 0.01) were observed in postmenopausal women with RA when compared to controls, whereas no differences were found for all other hormones studied. Although the significance of observed relative hyperandrogenism in postmenopausal women with RA is not clear, our data seem to indicate that sex hormone levels are altered in patients with RA.
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Ankylosis of the cricoarytenoid joints due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may cause upper airway obstruction by fixation of the vocal cords in the midline. In early stages, this condition usually results in minor symptoms which are easily overlooked. ⋯ It is essential to diagnose this condition early to avoid emergency situations. In 5 patients with classic RA and in one patient with juvenile RA severe laryngeal obstruction was operated on using a new simple technique consisting of a mobilization of the arytenoid cartilages and laterofixation of one of the vocal cords.
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Thirty-three patients with rheumatic pain modulation disorder (RPMD) were divided into 2 groups: RPMD with sleep related myoclonus (RPMD-SM) (n = 12) and RPMD only (n = 21). Both groups showed chronic nonarticular musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, tender points, and nonrestorative sleep with alpha (7.5-11 Hz) EEG sleep anomaly. RPMD-SM patients were older, had later onset of illness, showed disrupted sleep with periodic involuntary leg movements that were related to fatigue, and alpha EEG sleep related to fatigue and pain.
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Letter Case Reports
Septic arthritis of the knee presenting as an abscess in the thigh.