Fibromyalgia in Iraqi patients with Behcet's disease

Objective: To determine the prevalence of Fibromyalgia syndrome [FMS] in Iraqi patients with Behcet's disease. Methods: The two-stage classification process proposed by the 1990 American College of Rheumatology [ACR] multicenter criteria committee-on fibromyalgia was applied after completion of a questionnaire about Behcet's disease clinical features.Stage I: A plain questionnaire to a sample of 90 [41 female and 49 male] patients with Behcet's disease, mean age 37.5 years.Stage II: All patients with wide spread pain were examined by a physician blinded to the diagnosis of Behcet's disease for 18 tender points and 4 control non-tender points. A sample of 40 [16 female and 24 male] healthy individuals were examined as controls. Results: There were 53 [58.9%] patients with BD with widespread pain compared to 6 [15%] individuals in the control group, whereas only 8 [8.9%] [7 female and 1 male] patients with BD fulfilled the 1990 ACR criteria for classification of FMS, compared to one individual in the controls [2.5%]. There were significantly more females with BD having FMS compared to male patients. Also the FMS associated features were more prevalent in BD group compared to control group. Conclusion: FMS and widespread pain are more prevalent in patients with BD than in the general population while it is less prevalent when compared with other connective tissue diseases. There is a trend for an increased frequency of FMS in females with BD BD patients with FMS may benefit from psychological evaluation as a part of their treatment

Pulmonary manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus in Iraqi patients

The clinical features and types of pulmonary involvement were reported in a prospective study of 54 Iraqi known to have systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]. Pulmonary manifestations attributed to SLE were noted in 38 patients [70%]. The most common abnormality was an abnormal pulmonary function test, present in 29 patients [54%], 28 of them [52%] having restrictive ventilatory defect, while obstructive ventilatory defect was noted in only one patient [2%]. Subclinical lung involvement [isolated abnormality of pulmonary function test] was noted in 8 patients [15%]. Pulmonary symptoms were noted in 25 patients [46%], while abnormalities in chest roentgenogram were reported in 21 patients [39%], however, pulmonary signs were noted in 9 patients [17%]. When compared to the pulmonary signs and symptoms and chest roentgenograms, the pulmonary function tests [PFT] were the most sensitive means of uncovering pulmonary involvement in SLE. No positive correlation was found between clinical, ventilatory, roentgenographic, pulmonary abnormalities and any of the serological and other clinical findings. There was positive correlation between pulmonary function test abnormalities, roentgenographic abnormalities, pulmonary sings and symptoms

Limited joint mobility [cheiroarthropathy] in Iraqi diabetic patients

Joint mobility was assessed in 120 [one hundred and twenty] Iraqi diabetics [60 insulin-dependent, 60 non-insulin dependent] and 60 non-diabetic controls matched for age and sex. Limitation of joint mobility was detected in 28 [46.6%] patients with IDDM, in 24 [40%] patients with NIDDM, but in only 5 [8.3%] of control. There were no significant differences between diabetic patients with or without joint limitation with regard to age, sex, type of DM; however patients with impaired joint mobility had a longer duration of diabetes and a significantly increased frequency of microvascular diseases as evidenced by retinopathy and/or nephropathy, also they had increased incidence of frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome and various hand changes such as Dupuytren's contracture as compared to diabetic patients with out limited joint mobility. Limitation of joint mobility was most prominent in the small joints of the hands but caused no functional impairment. Thus cheiroarthropathy may serve as a marker of microvascular disease, and probably as a predicator of patients at risk of diabetic complications

study of chondrocalcinosis in osteoarthritis of the knee

One hundred patients with clinical and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis [OA] of the knee were studied for the presence of articular chondrocalcinosis [ACC]. 5 patients had ACC, 3 females and 2 males their age ranged from 55 to 75 years. 4 of then had unilateral ACC involving the lateral compartment of the right knee joint and only one had bilateral ACC. The prevalence of ACC increases with age. A possible relationship was found between the severity of radiographic changes of OA and the development of chondrocalcinosis

Dialysis arthropathy in Iraqi patients

Thirty consecutive patients receiving maintenance heamodialysis [fifteen males, fifteen females] were interviewed and examined to analyze their musculoskeletal problems. Twenty-four patients had musculoskeletal complaints, the commonest being arthralgia in 17, bone pain in 15, muscle weakness in 13, and muscle cramps in 12 patients. Proximal myopathy was detected in five patients, limitation of joints movement in 4 and joint swelling in 3 patients. No single patient had evidence of carpal tunnel syndrome. Radiographic abnormalities of renal osteodystrophy were found in ten patients and there was periarticular calcification in 6; no patient had gout or calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease