We investigated X-ray findings and the clinical features of the middle and lower cervical spine in 231 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
The resutls were as follows.
1. 121 (52%) of 231 patients with RA had radiographic abnormalities in the middle and lower cervical spine. There were abnormalities of the apophyseal joint in 111 cases (48%), disc narrowing in 63 3ases (28%), end-plate erosion in 37 cases (16%) and subluxation in 21 cases (9%).
2. 4 (19%) of 21 cases with subaxial subluxation had myelopathy.
3. 16 cases became worse radiographically including 3 cases with subaxial subluxation, in 23 cases with long term study (for average 8 years).
4. Surgical treatment was performed in 2 cases with myelopathy due to subaxial subluxation, and the results were good.
