Clinical rheumatology
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Clinical rheumatology · Jan 1998
Comparative StudyKnee and/or hip joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis is associated with HLA-DRB1*0405 in Japanese patients.
To determine the prognostic factors for knee and/or hip joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, we typed 379 RA patients for HLA-DRB alleles and analysed the antigen frequencies. The DRB1*0405 antigen frequency in RA patients who underwent total knee replacement and/or total hip replacement was significantly higher than in those who did not have replacements, which meant that DRB1*0405 was associated with knee and/or hip joint destruction. This finding may be of value for predicting knee and/or hip joint destruction in RA.
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Clinical rheumatology · Jan 1998
Case ReportsGranulomatous amoebic encephalitis caused by Acanthamoeba in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.
A 25-year-old chronically immunosuppressed woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) died after developing subacute granulomatous encephalitis caused by Acanthamoeba. Amoebic trophozoites were also found in the lung, suggesting a primary pulmonary focus of infection. ⋯ This case illustrates that Acanthamoeba can cause fatal encephalitis in lupus patients, as well as in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome as previously reported. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis due to Acanthamoeba in a patient with SLE.
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Clinical rheumatology · Jan 1998
Case ReportsPolyarthritis, rash and lymphadenopathy: case reports of two patients with angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy presenting to a rheumatology clinic.
Two patients presented with a symmetrical inflammatory polyarthropathy. Both patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy. We present the two case histories and review the current literature. Although an uncommon disease, the diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy should be considered in a patient presenting with polyarthritis and skin rash.
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Clinical rheumatology · Jan 1998
Review Case ReportsTenosynovitis due to Mycobacterium avium intracellulare and Mycobacterium chelonei: report of two cases with review of the literature.
Atypical mycobacteria can induce soft tissue infections such as tenosynovitis. We observed one case of finger flexor tendon tenosynovitis infected with Mycobacterium avium intracellulare and one case of knee and ankle arthritis with lateral peroneal tendon tenosynovitis due to M. chelonei. ⋯ This patient died from infectious pneumonitis. Previously reported cases of infectious tenosynovitis due to these atypical mycobacteria are reviewed.