title: Importance of full evaluation in patients who complain of neck pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although neck pain is common in patients with chronic rheumatic disorders, any change in the quality or severity of pain should be further investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report two patients who recently presented with increasing neck pain on a background of chronic inflammatory arthritis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both patients were found to have suffered fractures of the cervical spine. In each case, the bones appeared osteopenic and reduced bone density is likely to have made the patients susceptible to fracture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report highlights the need to comprehensively evaluate patients with chronic rheumatic disorders who note a significant change in their neck symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology SpR, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. nambrose2001@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Ambrose
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cunnane
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging