Terminal phalangeal sclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis.

The incidence of terminal phalangeal sclerosis in the hand radiographs of 150 patients with rheumatoid arthritis was compared with a control group of radiographs of non-rheumatoid patients. Terminal phalangeal sclerosis was more common in females than in males and was more common in females with rheumatoid arthritis than in female controls. In rheumatoid arthritis terminal phalangeal sclerosis may occur with or without erosive changes.