抄録
It is frequently seen that radiological change in the cervical spine of rheumatoid patients worsens with time as the disease progresses. In the present study, we measured the degress of atlanto-axial subluxation, vertical subluxation and subaxial subluxation on plain radiographs of the cervical spine at intervals of a certain period of time in 58 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and compared radiological changes in the former with those in the latter. The interval between the first radiograph to the second was one year to 12 years with the average of 5 years.
Those cases in which radiological progression in at least one of these 3 subluxations was more than 3 mm were classified into the progressive group (P) (26 cases), and those cases in which radiological progression was less than 3 mm were classified into the non-progressive group (N) (32 cases) . Statistical assessment was performed on the differences between the progressive and the non-progressive groups with regards to such items as age, duration of the disease, stage of the disease, carpal height ratio, and atlanto-axial angle.
The results are as follows;
(1) The range of motion in C1-C2 was more increased in the P-group than in the N -group.
(2) The atlanto -axial angle in flexion was more decreased in the P -group than in the N - group.
(3) The carpal height ratio was more decreased in the P-group than in the Ngroup. The difference was statistically significant.
(4) Neurological deficits were frequently found in patients with an CiA-P diameter of less than 14mm.
