title: Arthritis of leprosy.
abstract: An inflammatory polyarthritis has been previously described in leprosy but accounts of the clinical characteristics have varied. All patients with joint symptoms admitted to a leprosy centre over 5 months were examined by a rheumatologist. Of 48 acute admissions, 20 (42%) had a symmetrical polyarthritis affecting the wrists and fingers. This was strikingly similar to RA in appearance. The arthritis occurred exclusively in patients with reactions mainly during anti-mycobacterial treatment. The clinical features of the joint disorder were identical in Type I (associated with alterations in immune status) and Type II (erythema nodosum leprosum) reactions. Synovial tissue from one patient revealed no mycobacteria. Four of five hand X-rays suggested small erosions of the finger joints.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ahsan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hussein
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae; D011859:Radiography
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents