Age and gender difference in rheumatology

Abstract

Most collagen diseases are more common in women except polyarteritis nodosa, but aging makes this gender difference smaller in some of the diseases. In systemic lupus erythematosus the incidence difference between men and women diminishes while Sjogren syndrome is more common in women at all ages. Diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia are also very common complications with steroid treatment. DM is more common in those aged over 45 years old. On the contrary, hyperlipidemia is common at all ages with the peak in those 45-54 years old and only 22% over 75 years old have hyperlipidemia. According to the introduction of aggressive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, complications in the elderly should be carefully managed.