Prevalence of mutilans-like hand deformities in patients with seropositiverheumatoid arthritis - A prospective 20-year study

This study examined radiographically the prevalence of arthritis mutilans h and deformities in an inception cohort of 68 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pati ents. Hand deformities of 103 RF-positive RA patients were evaluated after 8 years, 83 patients after 15 years and 68 patients 20 years after entry. T he grade of destruction in the hand joints was assessed by the Larsen metho d and Larsen scores of 0-50 were determined for both PIP (+IP) and MCP join ts. At the end point, 3 patients had Larsen scores greater than or equal to 40 for both PIP and MCP joints. These three patients had severe resorption in most of the finger joints, but did not demonstrate classical opera-glas s hand. The prevalence of mutilans-like hand deformities with RA was 3/68 ( 4.4%) in a prospective 20-year study.