The prevalence and incidence of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in an urban Black population.

Abstract

We determined the prevalence and incidence of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) in an urban Black population in Baltimore, identifying three cases through review of computerized outpatient encounters and a fourth case by reviewing discharge records at area hospitals. The prevalence of JRA among Blacks, as of December 31, 1980, was estimated as 0.26 per 1,000 (95 per cent confidence interval: 0.07, 0.66), the average annual incidence 6.6 per 100,000 per year (0.8, 23.8) for the years 1979 and 1980. These data suggest that Black race is not associated with significantly increased risk of development of JRA.