To analyze trends in rheumatic diseases (RD) incidence rate in population of Russia for a recent decade.
Medical RD statistics for all regions of Russia for 10 years (1990-1999) have been analysed.
Annual number of primary patients with RD has increased for 1990-1999 from 9,147,000 to 12,378,000 (by 35.3%). The percentage of patients with acute rheumatic fever and chronic RD of the heart diminished from 6.5 to 2.9%. Most of the diseases constitute the diseases of osteomuscular system and connective tissue (DOMS). The number of new cases with rheumatic heart diseases (RHD) in adolescents and adults has risen by 50 and 40%, respectively. RHD are especially frequent in the Volga-Vyatka and North-Caucasian regions (2.5 and 2.3 per 1000 against mean Russian 1.7). A total DOMS morbidity has increased for the recent decade by 41%. It is higher in the Central and North regions, in the West Siberia and lower in the North Caucasus, Far East, East Siberia. For the 7 years the above morbidity among children rose 2-fold, among adolescents--2.4-fold. Incidence of rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylarthritis in adult population of Russia has changed insignificantly while osteoarthrosis total and primary occurrence for 6 years increased by 78 and 58%, respectively.
RD become a real challenge for health service of Russia. Changes in RD structure require correction of the rheumatic service activities.