Improvement of rheumatoid arthritis following splenectomy for Felty syndrome.
A patient with Felty syndrome underwent splenectomy because of persistent high fever, leg ulcer, and granulocytopenia. Subsequently, his rheumatoid synovitis went into prolonged remission. In addition, the leg ulcer healed; his WBC count, hemoglobin level, temperature, ESR, and weight returned to normal; the rheumatoid factor titer dropped substantially; and the antinuclear antibodies disappeared. These changes have persisted to the present time, more than 5 1/2 years after surgery.
D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D005258:Felty Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013156:Splenectomy; D013585:Synovitis; D013997:Time Factors
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor