Epidemiologic study of rheumatoid arthritis in the inhabitant of Kagoshima district.

对鹿儿岛地区类风湿关节炎（RA）进行流行病学调查。对吉松镇4791名居民中的3200名和南丹镇8720名居民中的800名进行了类风湿关节炎患病率调查。典型RA和明确RA分别占0.29%和0.49%。3200名正常人血清类风湿因子（乳胶试验）阳性率为4.0%（男3.4%，女4.5%）。差异无统计学意义。胶乳试验阳性率呈上升趋势。与衰老。而我们临床466年RA发病高峰在40多岁，且几乎呈正态分布。从这些事实来看，一般人群中少数乳胶试验阳性的受试者可能易患类风湿关节炎，但绝大多数可能仅仅与衰老引起的生理变化有关。另一方面，在同一地区进行了胶乳试验和血凝试验，在调查的2095名正常人中，胶乳试验阳性率为4.2%，血凝试验阳性率为4.4%。HLA复合体在64例患者中有16例两项检测均为阳性。该组与日本普通人群的HLA复合物水平无显著差异。DR4在本组无特征性标记。

Epidemiologic study of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was carried out in Kagoshima district. Prevalence of RA was investigated in 3200 out of 4791 inhabitants of Yoshimatsu Town and 800 out of 8720 of Minamitane Town. RA (classical and definite) was found in 0.29% and 0.49% respectively.Serum rheumatoid factor (latex test) was positive in 4.0% (male 3.4%, female 4.5%) of 3200 normal subjects. The difference was not significant statistically. The frequency of latex test positive was in a increasing tendency. with aging. The onset of RA in 466 or our clinic, however, showed a peak in at the age of 40's with nearly normal distribution. From these facts, a small number of the subjects with latex test positive in general population may be predisposed to rheumatoid arthritis, but the great majority may be simply associated with physiologic change due to aging.On the other hand, latex test and haemagglutination test were studied in onejime area, the former was found positive in 4.2% and the latter in 4.4% out'of the 2095 normal subjects investigated. HLA complex could be analysed in 16 out of the 64 subjects with either of both tests positive. No significant difference was noted between this group and general Japanese population as control in HLA complex. DR4 was not marked characteristically in this group.