Objective: To determine the prevalence of palindromic rheumatism (PR) compared to new-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: We reviewed 145 patients that had been newly diagnosed by a rheumatologist with either RA or PR between May 2004 and May 2006.
Results: Of these 145 patients, 51 were diagnosed with PR and 94 with RA. There was a similar female predominance with both conditions. The average age at diagnosis of PR was 49 years as compared to 56 years for RA.
Conclusion: Palindromic rheumatism occurs more frequently than previously recognized.