Advanced Clinical and Radiological Features of Ankylosing Spondylitis: Relation to Gender, Onset of First Symptoms and Disease Duration.

To determine the frequency of advanced clinical and radiological features of AS with reference to gender, onset of symptoms and disease duration. Fifty-seven patients diagnosed with AS were included in this study. Functional evaluation of the musculoskeletal system detected advanced clinical features: rubber-ball phenomenon, flattening of the chest anterior wall, diastasis of rectus abdominis muscle, steel back phenomenon, umbilical extrusion, skiing posture.

Dermatoglyphics in psoriatic symmetrical polyarthritis in fifty women--quantitative analysis.

Quantitative dermatoglyphic analysis ofdigitopalmar ridge count was used to research psoriatic symmetrical polyarthritis in fifty women. Analyzed were 25 dermatoglyphics traits: number of epidermal ridges on all ten fingers, their sum for five and ten fingers, four traits on both palms, i.e.

Dermatoglyphics of digitopalmar complex in forty male patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis--quantitative analysis.

Quantitative analysis of digitopalmar ridge count was performed in forty male patients with rheumatoid arthritis to evaluation of genetic factors in that disease. Twenty five variables (ridge count on each of ten fingers, their sum on five and ten fingers, four traits on each palm, i. e.

A contribution to genetic etiology of complex regional pain syndrome type I (algodystropy syndrome) based on quantitative analysis of digitopalmar dermatoglyphics in sixty men.

The patterns of the ridges of the skin of the fingers and palms were determined in sixty men with complex regional pain syndrome (type I) as a measure of disease prevention. The study included 25 dermatoglyphic traits: number of epidermal ridges on all ten fingers; their sum for five and ten fingers; four traits on both palms, i.e.

Effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on vertebral deformity in the elderly--an epidemiological study.

The aim of the study was to assess the role of smoking and alcohol consumption as possible risk factors for vertebral deformities in an elderly Croatian population sample. Data on smoking habit, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and overall life activity were collected in 425 randomly chosen community dwelling subjects. Radiographic morphometric method was used to assess vertebral deformities of thoracic and lumbar spine.

Prevalence of vertebral fractures in an urban population in Croatia aged fifty and older.

Aim Of The Study: To establish the prevalence of vertebral fractures according to age groups, sex and vertebral level in a sample of a Croatian urban population aged > or =50. We also tried to establish how many people had been diagnosed with osteoporosis by their family physician.

Participants And Methods: Lateral thoracic and lumbar spinal radiographs were obtained in 425 ambulatory people (156 men and 269 women) aged > or =50 and living in the community as a random sample of the City of Zagreb (Croatia) population.