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Comparative Study
. 2008;10(1):106.
doi: 10.1186/ar2369. Epub 2008 Feb 25.

Comparing the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in China with the rest of the world

David T Felson
Comparative Study

Comparing the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in China with the rest of the world

David T Felson. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008.

Abstract

Geographic or ethnic differences in the occurrence of disease often provide insights into causes of disease and possible opportunities for disease prevention. Persons in China appear to have a consistently lower prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia than persons in the United States and Europe; reasons for these prevalence differences might include genetic differences, differences in environmental exposures or a combination of both. With increasing obesity, gout is becoming endemic in China. Finally, symptomatic knee osteoarthritis is extremely common in China and constitutes a major public health problem there.

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Comment on

  • Rheumatic diseases in China.
    Zeng QY, Chen R, Darmawan J, Xiao ZY, Chen SB, Wigley R, Le Chen S, Zhang NZ. Zeng QY, et al. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008;10(1):R17. doi: 10.1186/ar2368. Epub 2008 Jan 31. Arthritis Res Ther. 2008. PMID: 18237382 Free PMC article.

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