Atypical ossicle joint lesions in rheumatoid arthritis with sicca syndrome (Sjögren syndrome).
Atypical incudomalleal and incudostapedial joint changes were found in a 55-year-old woman with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and sicca syndrome (Sjögren syndrome). Available audiograms taken at 37 and 42 years of age demonstrated slight bilateral high-frequency loss of hearing. The ossicular joint changes involved dissolution of disk material together with proliferation of synovial-type elements of the disk and articular surfaces, with formation of pannus-like tissue. There was extensive destruction of cartilage, with cellular collagenous tissue extending along the exposed bone surfaces. Despite strong similarities to rheumatoid arthritis, a definite diagnosis cannot be made in the absence of the inflammatory, lymphocyteplasma cell component.
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology; D003638:Deafness / Q000209:etiology; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004429:Ear Ossicles / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology