The study was carried out among 100 RA patients (age from 20 to 70 years) by fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology 1987 revised criteria admitted to our outpatient clinic. RA patients were compared with 95 healthy volunteer control group. Healthy volunteers were recruited from the partners next to the patients who came to our outpatient clinic for examination. The same physician carried out the physical examinations on all participations and conducted a interview, acquiring information on age, gender, body mass index (BMI), marriage status, living alone, working, and education. Participants were asked to complete interview based questionnaires regarding pain, life quality, and social role participation to obtain additional information during the interview to participate in the study in 20 min. Examinations took place at the our outpatient clinic. This study did not include all participants who had accompanying of other rheumatic diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, the presence of another chronic disease, cancer.
The study was carried out among 100 RA patients (age from 20 to 70 years) by fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology 1987 revised criteria admitted to our outpatient clinic. RA patients were compared with 95 healthy volunteer control group. Participants were asked to complete interview based questionnaires regarding pain, life quality, and social role participation to obtain additional information during the interview to participate in the study in 20 min.