title: Chronic alcohol consumption as a predisposing factor for multiple tendon ruptures in unusual sites in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Simultaneous bilateral patellar tendon ruptures are a rare complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Systemic inflammatory diseases (RA, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), chronic renal failure, primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism, diabetes mellitus, obesity, sports activity, older age (>50) and drugs (prolonged use of high doses of steroids, local steroid injections and quinolones) are considered as potent predisposing factors for tendon rupture. We report a case of an alcoholic patient with RA and bilateral spontaneous tendon ruptures of the knees. Circumstantial evidence suggest that in this patient, chronic alcohol consumption, a very frequent cause of toxicity to striated and cardiac muscle, contributed to the injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University Hospital of Heraklion Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bourikas
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Kritikos
authors.forename: O G
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Papakostantinou
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Katsikas
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Boumpas
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Sidiropoulos
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000293:injuries; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology