Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34294115›Full record

ArticleOrphanet journal of rare diseases2021

The combined prevalence of classified rare rheumatic diseases is almost double that of ankylosing spondylitis.

Judith Leyens, Tim Th A Bender, Martin Mücke, Christiane Stieber, Dmitrij Kravchenko, Christian Dernbach, Matthias F Seidel

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Orphanet journal of rare diseases, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Literature Review on Health Emigration in Rare Diseases-A Machine Learning Perspective.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Judith LeyensCenter for Rare Diseases Bonn (ZSEB), University Hospital, Bonn, Germany.
Tim Th A BenderCenter for Rare Diseases Bonn (ZSEB), University Hospital, Bonn, Germany.
Martin MückeCenter for Rare Diseases Bonn (ZSEB), University Hospital, Bonn, Germany.
Christiane StieberInstitute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
Dmitrij KravchenkoCenter for Rare Diseases Bonn (ZSEB), University Hospital, Bonn, Germany.
Christian DernbachDivision of Medical Psychology and Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Bonn, Germany.
Matthias F SeidelDepartment of Rheumatology, Spitalzentrum-Centre hospitalier, Biel-Bienne, Switzerland. Matthias.Seidel@szb-chb.ch.ORCID 0000-0003-0861-0869

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRare diseases (RDs) affect less than 5/10,000 people in Europe and fewer than 200,000 individuals in the United States. In rheumatology, RDs are heterogeneous and lack systemic classification. Clinical courses involve a variety of diverse symptoms, and patients may be misdiagnosed and not receive appropriate treatment. The objective of this study was to identify and classify some of the most important RDs in rheumatology. We also attempted to determine their combined prevalence to more precisely define this area of rheumatology and increase awareness of RDs in healthcare systems. We conducted a comprehensive literature search and analyzed each disease for the specified criteria, such as clinical symptoms, treatment regimens, prognoses, and point prevalences. If no epidemiological data were available, we estimated the prevalence as 1/1,000,000. The total point prevalence for all RDs in rheumatology was estimated as the sum of the individually determined prevalences.

resultsA total of 76 syndromes and diseases were identified, including vasculitis/vasculopathy (n = 15), arthritis/arthropathy (n = 11), autoinflammatory syndromes (n = 11), myositis (n = 9), bone disorders (n = 11), connective tissue diseases (n = 8), overgrowth syndromes (n = 3), and others (n = 8). Out of the 76 diseases, 61 (80%) are classified as chronic, with a remitting-relapsing course in 27 cases (35%) upon adequate treatment. Another 34 (45%) diseases were predominantly progressive and difficult to control. Corticosteroids are a therapeutic option in 49 (64%) syndromes. Mortality is variable and could not be determined precisely. Epidemiological studies and prevalence data were available for 33 syndromes and diseases. For an additional eight diseases, only incidence data were accessible. The summed prevalence of all RDs was 28.8/10,000.

conclusionsRDs in rheumatology are frequently chronic, progressive, and present variable symptoms. Treatment options are often restricted to corticosteroids, presumably because of the scarcity of randomized controlled trials. The estimated combined prevalence is significant and almost double that of ankylosing spondylitis (18/10,000). Thus, healthcare systems should assign RDs similar importance as any other common disease in rheumatology.

Indexed as

Rheumatic DiseasesRheumatologySpondylitis, AnkylosingEuropeHumansPrevalenceArthritisEpidemiologyFeverMyositisRare diseasesRheumatologyVasculitis

Identifiers

PMID34294115
PMCPMC8296612

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.