Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Rheumatology and Medical Rehabilitation, cilt.13, sa.1, ss.20-24, 2002 (Scopus)
In this study, Staphylococcus aureus and beta haemolytic streptococcus (BHS) colonization in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and their relationship with disease activity were analysed. Forty-five patients diagnosed as having RA were included in the study. Thirty-two age-matched subjects consisted the control group. Patient and control groups were investigated for nasal colonization of S. aureus and oral BHS. Twenty patients were classified as having high and 25 patients having low disease activity according to clinical and laboratory findings. Staphylococcus aureus was identified in 35.6% of the patients and in 21.9% of the control group. (c2=1.67, p=0.20). Staphylococcus aureus identification incidences were not different between patients with high and low disease activity (c2=1.40, p=0.24). BHS was identified in oral culture of 13 RA patients. BHS was not determined in the control group. Growth rates of BHS in oral cultures were significantly different between two groups (c2=1.11, p=0.001). BHS identification rates were not different between patients with high and low disease activity (c 2=2.16 p=0.14). BHS and/or S. aureus colonization were found in 70% of the patients with high disease activity and 40% of the patients with low disease activity. The difference between two groups was significant (c 2=4.02, p=0.045). These results had shown that BHS and S. aureus colonizations in the RA patients were higher than the control group, even though it was not much related to the disease activity.