CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF KASHIN-BECK DISEASE IN NYEMO VALLEY, TIBET

Clinical manifestations of Kashin-Beck disease have been studied in Ce ntral Tibet. Statistical analysis of physical signs allowed a definiti on of the clinical diagnosis and a scale for the functional severity f or the disease to be drawn up. This classification is used for the ass essment of patients who received palliative physical treatment. A grou p of 136 patients have been examined and their disabled joints classif ied according to pain, bony enlargement and restriction of movement. 5 7% were between 20 and 35 years of age. The patients mainly complained about their distal weightbearing joints. The clinical evolution of th e disease is described from childhood to adult life.