title: Clinical analysis of leg ulcers and gangrene in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Leg ulcers are often complicated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), however, the etiology is multifactorial. We examined the cases of leg ulceration or gangrene in seven RA patients who were hospitalized over the past 3 years. One patient was diagnosed as having pyoderma gangrenosum. Although vasculitis was suspected in three patients, no histological evidence was obtained from the skin specimens. In these patients, angiography revealed the stenosis or occlusion of digital arteries. In the remaining three patients, leg ulcers were considered to be due to venous insufficiency. Treatment should be chosen depending on the causes of leg ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Yayoi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sogabe
authors.forename: Tomoyasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Chizuru
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tago
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005734:Gangrene / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
keywords: pyoderma gangrenosum; rheumatoid arthritis; rheumatoid vasculitis; skin ulcer; venous insufficiency