Physician diagnosed arthritis, reported arthritis and radiological non-axial osteoarthritis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the question that best predicts radiographic evidence of non-axial osteoarthritis (OA). Design: The Melbourne Women's Mid-life Health Project (MWMHP), commenced in 1991, is a population-based prospective study of 438 Australian-born. Two hundred and fifty-seven (57%) women remained in longitudinal assessment in 2002 and 224 (87%) women agreed to undergo X-rays of their hands and knees between 2002 and 2003. Methods: Annually participants were asked about aches and stiff joints and arthritis or rheumatism. In the eleventh year of follow-up X-rays were scored for evidence of OA using a validated scale, by two investigators who were blinded to questionnaire results. Info..