Manifestations of Chlamydia induced arthritis in patients with silent versus symptomatic urogenital chlamydial infection.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether Chlamydia-infected patients with and without urogenital symptoms have similar rheumatological manifestations or whether they belong to distinct clinical groups.


METHODS
In a university-based study, we examined patients with unexplained arthritis in whom other rheumatic diseases had been excluded for urogenital chlamydial infection, and we investigated the clinical and radiological manifestations of the Chlamydia-positive patients.


RESULTS
Sixty of 283 patients (21%) with unexplained arthritis had urogenital chlamydial infection. The infection was asymptomatic in 30%. There was no difference in the pattern of arthritis or immunological and serological characteristics in the patients with and without symptoms of urogenital infection, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The pattern of Chlamydia-induced arthritis is similar in patients with or without symptoms of urogenital chlamydial infection. To recognize CIA, it may be helpful to examine patients with unexplained arthritis for Chlamydia even though they do not have symptoms of urogenital infection.
Wollenhaupt
J
J
Division of Rheumatology, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
Kolbus
F
F
Weissbrodt
H
H
Schneider
C
C
Krech
T
T
Zeidler
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052801:Male Urogenital Diseases; D011859:Radiography; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen