Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Archives of Rheumatology, cilt.40, sa.2, ss.164-170, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)
Background/Aims: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by signifi- cant inflammation and joint damage. This study aims to investigate the frequency of abnormal ulnar variance (AUV) in RA patients and its associ- ated factors. Materials and Methods: A total of 108 established RA patients meeting the 2010 ACR/EULAR RA criteria were included. After exclusions, the study proceeded with 98 patients. Demographic, laboratory, and clinical data were recorded. X-rays of the wrists were taken in accordance with the lit- erature, with the forearm in a neutral rotation, the elbow flexed at 90°, the shoulder abducted at 90 °, and ulnar variance was assessed with Hulten’s method. A displacement of 1 mm or more of the ulna relative to the radius was defined as AUV. Results: The average age was 58.11 ± 12.05 years, with 82% being female. The mean disease duration was 175.16 ± 100.5 months, and the average diag- nostic delay was 16.4 ± 11.18 months. Abnormal ulnar variance was present in 47.9% of patients. In patients with AUV, the average UV for the right hand was +2.24 mm, while the average for the left hand was +2.40 mm. When considering all RA cases, the average UV was +1.06 mm for the right hand and +1.09 mm for the left hand. In the multivariate analysis, RA-type joint involvement (RJI) and severe joint involvement (SJI) were identified as independent predictors of AUV. Conclusion: This study suggests that AUV may be an important finding in established RA. Future larger-scale and prospective studies are needed to elucidate the significance of AUV in RA cases.