title: The arthropathy of fibroblastic rheumatism.
abstract: Fibroblastic rheumatism (FR) is a relatively rare syndrome characterized by the association of multiple cutaneous nodules with polyarthritis. The unique histologic finding in the skin and synovium of patients with FR is a proliferation of myofibroblast-like cells within a background matrix of collagen. The occurrence of erosive arthritis has not been emphasized in previous descriptions of FR. We describe a patient with FR who presented with symmetric polyarthritis, skin thickening, and dermal nodules. Despite treatment with prednisone and D-penicillamine, he developed a progressive, destructive polyarthropathy that mimicked multicentric reticulohistiocytosis.
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Finlay
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Woodruff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001168:Arthritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D001175:Arthrography; D003094:Collagen; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005121:Extremities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D015616:Histiocytosis, Non-Langerhans-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen