title: Syringomyelia, neuropathic arthropathy and rheumatoid arthritis as diagnostic dilemmas in two different cases: confounding factor and true coexistence.
abstract: Two patients with neuropathic arthropathy (NA) of hands and wrists due to cervical syringomyelia are described. Articular deformities resembling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were present in both cases. RA was misdiagnosed in the first case, leading to incorrect treatment with iatrogenic consequences, and there was real coexistence of RA and NA in the second one. Physicians must be aware of this rare condition in the differential diagnosis of wrist and hand deformities.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. nevesfab@bol.com.br
authors.forename: Fabricio de Souza
authors.initials: Fde S
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.forename: Fabricio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Sousa Neves
authors.forename: Deborah Pereira
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pereira Gonçalves
authors.forename: Célio Roberto
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Célio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roberto Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D001177:Arthropathy, Neurogenic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006227:Hand Deformities, Acquired / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000473:pathology