Unusual digital sparing in rheumatoid arthritis a case of neuropsychoimmunologic involvement.
An unusual pattern of hand involvement in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is presented. There is complete sparing of a single digit, despite a severe, destructive polyarthritis involving all the other fingers. Of note, the patient began wearing a treasured family heirloom ring on the nonaffected finger approximately 1 year before the onset of her arthritis. The potential role for psychoimmunologic regulation of rheumatoid arthritis is discussed.
Helfgott
S M
SM
Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Brigham & Women's and Braintree Hospitals and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.