Evaluation of the Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The limb joints of 188 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were classified according to the LARSEN scoring system. The mean degree of involvement was approximately a linear function of the square root of the duration of the disease. A mild course in the elbows and metacarpophalangeal joints, and a severe course in the distal interphalangeal joints of the fingers and toes were related to age over 40 years at onset of the disease. A severe course in most of the hands occurred in women.