title: Amyloidosis mimicking rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: A 49-year-old man presented a clinical picture suggesting seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. He developed severe joint contractions, pasty synovial swelling, macroglossia and proteinurie. Subsequent investigations disclosed light-chain multiple myeloma and A1-amyloid deposits in synovial tissue and skin. A1-amyloidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with seronegative polyarthritis. Clues to the diagnosis of amyloid arthropathy are a carpal tunnel syndrome, early occurrence of joint contractures in combination with a relatively mild synovitis and a low ESR as well as the presence of other possible organ involvement with amyloidosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Zuiderziekenhuis, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: de Ruiter
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Ronday
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Markusse
mesh_terms: D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology; D008260:Macroglossia / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology