title: Life-threatening stridor presenting in a patient with rheumatoid involvement of the larynx.
abstract: A case of a female patient with extensive rheumatoid arthritis who presented to the Accident and Emergency Department with life-threatening stridor is described. Although clinical involvement of the larynx is found in over a third of patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis, acute airways obstruction is fortunately a very rare complication. Stridor is probably precipitated in the acute situation in such patients as a result of upper respiratory tract infection.
authors.affiliation: Accident and Emergency Department, Leeds General Infirmary, England.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: McGeehan
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Crinnion
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Strachan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007830:Larynx / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014140:Tracheotomy