title: Leukemic arthritis.
abstract: Leukemic arthritis (LA) is an uncommon complication of both acute and chronic leukemias. LA occurs in 12% to 65% of childhood leukemia cases and 4% to 13% of adult leukemia cases. Involved joints usually are warm, swollen, and tender. This arthritis often is pauciarticular and preferentially involves large joints. LA occurs at any time during the course of leukemia and may be the presenting manifestation. Therefore, LA should be considered in the differential diagnosis of both adult and childhood rheumatic diseases. Establishing a diagnosis may be difficult and usually requires tissue biopsy. Newer immunochemical methods may help in the diagnosis of LA by demonstrating leukemic cells in synovial fluid. Therapy for the underlying leukemia is the treatment of choice. Decreasing joint pain often is the first sign of a clinical response to chemotherapy. A case report is presented and the literature on the subject is reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Nercessian
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology