Rheumatoid polyarthritis and life events
Euller-Ziegler, L.; Bonhomme, P.; Gagnerie, F.; Ramaioli, A.; Ziegler, G.
Revue du Rhumatisme et des Maladies Osteo-Articulaires 52(10): 563-569
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0035-2659 PMID: 4081576 Document Number: 263342
By applying the systematic and quantitative method of life events to 56 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the activity of which was assessed both clinically and by means of laboratory tests, the authors demonstrated a significantly higher value for the cumulative life event score over the three years prior to the examination (with or without weighting) in patients in an active phase of the disease compared with patients in remission. These results seem to support the concept that the accumulation of life events may increase the incidence of subsequent episodes of the disease and conversely. The non specific nature of the phenomenon seems to be demonstrated by the study of a control group of subjects hospitalised for disease other than rheumatoid arthritis.