Lymphocytic joint fluid in tuberculous arthritis. A review of 30 cases.
Several cases of tuberculous arthritis with lymphocytic joint fluid have been reported. This may explain in part the insidious course of tuberculous arthritis. We studied the characteristics of lymphocytic fluid from joints affected with tuberculosis and we looked for specific clinical, radiological, or laboratory test features, comparatively to patients with neutrophilic joint fluid.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 30 patients with tuberculous arthritis, 20 men and 10 women with a mean age of 47.7+/-21.4 years (10-75) and a mean symptom duration at diagnosis of 25.7+/-27.6 months (2-120).


RESULTS
Mean joint fluid leukocyte count was 15,181+/-15,635 per mm3 (600-40,000). In joint fluid, neutrophils predominated in 24 patients and lymphocytes in six (20%) patients. Blood cell counts showed no predominance of lymphocytes. No specific clinical, radiological, or laboratory test features were noted in the group with lymphocytic joint fluid.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that a predominance of lymphocytes in joint fluid from patients with tuberculous arthritis was uncommon and was not associated with specific features.
Rheumatology Department, El Ayachi Hospital, Rabat-Salé Teaching Hospital, Rabat, Morocco. allalifadoua@yahoo.fr
Fadoua
F
Allali
Saoussane
S
Mahfoud-Filali
Najia
N
Hajjaj-Hassouni
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001175:Arthrography; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*