International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol 26, 628-634, Copyright © 1997 by International Epidemiological Association
A Silman, C Bankhead, B Rowlingson, P Brennan, D Symmons and A Gatrell
OBJECTIVES: To examine for evidence of clustering in time, in space and in
space/time in the occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). SETTING: A
population-based incidence register of RA in the East Anglian region of the
UK: population size 413,000. SUBJECTS: In all 687 new cases of inflammatory
joint disease registered between 1 January 1990 and 31 December 1994 were
studied. Population data were obtained from postcode areas by age and sex.
ANALYSIS: Time trend analysis was conducted over the first 36 months and
observed and expected distributions compared. Spatial clustering was based
on comparison of observed distribution using map grid references to random
expectation based on simulation. A similar procedure was undertaken for
time/space clustering. RESULTS: There was no evidence of a time trend.
There was only modest evidence of spatial clustering with non-random
distribution observed in one area but there was no evidence of time/space
clustering. CONCLUSION: Although a viral aetiology is the strongest
candidate for RA, no evidence of a localized event in time was associated
with disease development in this population.
ARTICLES
Do new cases of rheumatoid arthritis cluster in time or in space?
ARC Epidemiology Research Unit, University of Manchester, UK.
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