Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 1998 , Vol 1 , Num 2

Romatoid Artritte Ayak Deformiteleri

Belma Füsun Köseoğlu 1 ,Çiğdem Ertürk 2 ,Esma Ceceli 3 ,Belgin Karaoğlan 4 ,Rezan Yorgancıoğlu 5
1 Clinic of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
2 S.B. Ankara Hastanesi Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Ankara
3 Ankara Eğitim Araştırma Hastanesi Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Ankara, Türkiye
4 Gazi Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Fiziksel Tıp ve Rehabilitasyon Anabilim Dalı, Ankara, Türkiye
5 Ankara Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Fizik Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon Kliniği, Ankara

Though initial symptoms of RA start in the feet in 16-20 % of the patiients, foot ivolvement reaches to 90% in the progression of the disease. At the early disease period the incidences of the hand and foot involvement are nearly equal but the hand deformities are known better and diagnosed easier. In this study our aim was to look for the deformity types which occurred in rheumatoid foot, the frequency of these deformities and the relation of these deformities to the disease duration, disease activity and functional stage.
For this reason 42 patients with the diagnosis of RA fullfilling ARA criteria were included in this study. Physical examination and weight bearing anteroposterior and lateral foot X-rays of these patients were evaluated. The results were compared with the age and sex matched controly group of 35 people. The deformities according to frequency are hallux vlgus (% 53.5), pes planus (% 43), and claw toe (% 15.4). In encountering these problems there was a statistical significant difference on the side of RA (p<0.05). These deformities were found to positively correlate with the functional stage (p<0.05) but not correlate with the disease duration (p>0.05).
It can be concluded that foot deformities are frequently encountered in RA and being aware of these problems would be helpful in the early diagnosis of the disease; so early intervention of the deformities with orthotic measures is appropriate and necessary.

Keywords : Rheumatoid Arthritis, Foot defomity