[Felty's syndrome].
BACKGROUND
Felty's syndrome is a complication of rheumatoid arthritis whereby patients develop neutropenia of varying severity and splenomegaly. The major sources of morbidity and mortality are recurrent local and systemic infections, although some patients remain asymptomatic.


METHODS
In this paper two patients with Felty's syndrome are presented.


RESULTS
One patient had recurrent infections. Clinical manifestations, laboratory features and different modalities of treatment are reviewed.


CONCLUSIONS
Splenectomy has long been standard therapy, but disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (such as gold salts and methotrexate) and colony stimulating factors should also be considered in Felty's neutropenia complicated with infections.
Lilleby
V
V
Senter for revmatiske sykdommer Rikshospitalet, Oslo.
Gran
J T
JT
D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005258:Felty Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013156:Splenectomy
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D003115:Colony-Stimulating Factors