The rarity of felty's syndrome in blacks

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Evidence is presented that Felty's syndrome (FS) is rare among black patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All of 12 patients with FS seen at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas between 1964 and 1978 were white. During this period 52% of patients admitted to the Parkland medical service were black and 31% of patients discharged with a diagnosis of RA were black. The number of expected black cases of FS on the basis of the racial distribution of hospitalized patients with RA was 3.7 (P < 0.02 when the zero incidence in blacks was compared with the expected incidence). All 7 cases of FS observed at Charity Hospital, New Orleans, Louisiana between 1968 and 1978 were also white. During this period, 65%of patients discharged with a diagnosis of RA were black, and the number of expected black cases of FS was 4.5 (P < 0.001). These findings suggest a genetic basis for the development of leukopenia and splenomegaly in RA patients.