Aim: To assess some demographic features in a series of 741 rheumatoid arthritis patients admitted to the Clinic Hospital of Rehabilitation at Iasi in different stages of disease in order to select the most adequate rehabilitation teratment.
Material and methods: Data were collected from patients' records, hospital statistical reports, and then processed and interpreted using EPI/INFO and MS Excel.
Results: Sex distribution revealed that the disease was more common in females (male/female ratio 0.2). The prevalence was higher after the age of 40, from 15.4% to 33.8% between 51 and 60, and 40.2% after 61. The most important comorbidities were related to osteoporosis (48.9%), ischemic cardiopathy and essential arterial hypertension (40.1%), impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus (36.9%), viral hepatitis B and C (24.02% of all cases).
Conclusions: In selecting the most adequate rehabilitation treatment (drug therapy, kinetotherapy, and physical therapy) patient's age, and his various associated diseases have to be considered.