Abstract

MUNOZ GRAJALES, Carolina et al. Undifferentiated arthritis: experience in two outpatient center of rheumatology, Medellín, Colombia. Rev.Colomb.Reumatol. [online]. 2012, vol.19, n.2, pp.78-83. ISSN 0121-8123.

Introduction: The prevalence of undifferentiated inflammatory joint disease in cohorts of recent onset arthritis is variable (23%-56%). It has been observed that 54% goes into remission spontaneously, 30% evolves to rheumatoid arthritis or other defined inflammatory joint disease and 20% continues under the diagnosis of undifferentiated arthritis. Objective: Describe the clinical characteristics and the behavior over time of patients with undifferentiated arthritis from two centers of rheumatology, Medellín, Colombia. Materials and methods: Descriptive cross sectional study. We reviewed medical records of patients with diagnosis of undifferentiated arthritis followed for ≥ 6 months in Reumatologya S.A. and Clínica Las Vegas. Demographic, clinical and laboratory variables were analyzed. Results: Sixty one medical records included. The involvement was monoarticular in 36.1%, oligoarticular in 27.9% and polyarticular in 36.1%. In 75.4% a definite inflammatory joint disease was established (26.2% rheumatoid arthritis, 16.4% calcium pyrophosphate arthropathy, 6.6% monosodium urate crystals arthropathy, 6.6% seronegative spondyloarthropathy, 4.9% erosive osteoarthritis and 14.5% others). Conclusions: During follow-up, 24.6% of patients continued havinga diagnosis of undifferentiated arthritis. Arthritis was self-limited in a 6.6% of patients and in a 75.4% a definite inflammatory joint disease was established. Although the design and study sample size are insufficient to identify statistically significant associations, these findings contribute to understand the behavior of undifferentiated arthritis in Colombia.

Keywords : Undifferentiated arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; early arthritis.

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