Prevalence of abuse in fibromyalgia and other rheumatic disorders at a specialized clinic in rheumatic diseases in Guatemala City.

Background: The importance of past adverse experiences is increasingly recognized in patients with rheumatic disease.

Objective: The objective of this study was to study the association of physical, verbal, and sexual abuse in patients with rheumatic disorders as compared with healthy volunteers.

Methods: In this case-control study, 500 new patients attending an outpatient rheumatic clinic were interviewed from September 1, 1999, to August 31, 2001.

Detection of bacterial DNA in Latin American patients with reactive arthritis by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis.

Objective: Bacteria and/or their antigens are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of reactive arthritis (ReA). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the 16S ribosomal RNA-PCR method was used to identify bacterial DNA in synovial fluid (SF) and tissue (ST) in a well defined group of patients with chronic ReA. In addition, species found were identified by means of sequence analysis.