A incidência de ARe varia entre os estudos epidemiológicos. Acredita-se que vários fatores contribuam para essa disparidade, entre eles diferenças na composição genética (como prevalência de HLA-B27) e nos fatores ambientais (como taxas variáveis de infecção de organismos causadores). A falta de critérios diagnósticos específicos também limita a estimativa precisa da prevalência.[2]Braun J, Kingsley G, van der Heijde D, et al. On the difficulties of establishing a consensus on the definition of and diagnostic investigations of reactive arthritis. Results and discussion of a questionnaire prepared for the 4th International Workshop on Reactive Arthritis, Berlin, Germany, July 3-6, 1999. J Rheumatol. 2000;27:2185-2192.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10990232?tool=bestpractice.com
[3]Michet CJ, Machado EB, Ballard DJ, et al. Epidemiology of Reiter's syndrome in Rochester, Minnesota: 1950-1980. Arthritis Rheum. 1988;31:428-431.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3358804?tool=bestpractice.com
A ARe ocorre principalmente em adultos.[4]Flores D, Marquez J, Garza M, et al. Reactive arthritis: newer developments. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2003;29:37-59.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12635499?tool=bestpractice.com
[5]Rudwaleit M, Richter S, Braun J, et al. Low incidence of reactive arthritis in children following a salmonella outbreak. Ann Rheum Dis. 2001;60:1055-1057.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11602478?tool=bestpractice.com
Acredita-se que a prevalência seja de 30 a 40 casos por 100,000 adultos, com uma incidência anual de 4.6 por 100,000 para a artrite induzida por Chlamydia e 5 por 100,000 para artrite induzida por enterobactérias.[6]Kvien TK, Glennas A, Melby G, et al. Reactive arthritis: incidence, triggering agents and clinical presentation. J Rheumatol. 1994;21:115-122.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8151565?tool=bestpractice.com
[7]Toivanen A, Toivanen P. Reactive arthritis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2004;18:689-703.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15454127?tool=bestpractice.com
A taxa de ataque da ARe depois de uma infecção por C trachomatis é estimada em 4% a 8%,[8]Rich E, Hook EW 3rd, Alarcon GS, et al. Reactive arthritis in patients attending an urban sexually transmitted diseases clinic. Arthritis Rheum. 1996;39:1172-1177.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8670327?tool=bestpractice.com
[9]Carter JD, Rehman A, Guthrie JP, et al. Attack rate of Chlamydia-induced reactive arthritis and effect of the CCR5-Delta-32 mutation: a prospective analysis. J Rheumatol. 2013;40:1578-1582.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23818716?tool=bestpractice.com
e o da artrite reativa após disenteria varia de 1.5% a cerca de 30%.[10]Eastmond CJ, Rennie JA, Reid TM. An outbreak of Campylobacter enteritis - a rheumatological followup survey. J Rheumatol. 1983;10:107-108.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6842468?tool=bestpractice.com
[11]Dworkin MS, Shoemaker PC, Goldoft MJ, et al. Reactive arthritis and Reiter's syndrome following an outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella enteritidis. Clin Infect Dis. 2001;33:1010-1014.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11528573?tool=bestpractice.com
Um estudo constatou que a artrite persistiu aos 2 anos em quase a metade (47%) dos pacientes afetados.[12]Garcia Ferrer HR, Azan A, Iraheta I, et al. Potential risk factors for reactive arthritis and persistence of symptoms at 2 years: a case-control study with longitudinal follow-up. Clin Rheumatol. 2018 Feb;37(2):415-422.
https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s10067-017-3911-3
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29139030?tool=bestpractice.com