Rheumatoid vasculitis: early presentation of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid vasculitis is a rare and late complication of rheumatoid arthritis and may affect small-to-medium-sized vessels. Here, we report a case of a 49-year-old man who presented with amaurosis fugax in the left eye, symmetric polyarthritis, Raynaud's symptoms and paraesthesia in both lower...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMJ case reports 2016-11, Vol.2016, p.bcr2016217557
Main Authors: Abdulqader, Yasir, Al-ani, Muhsen, Parperis, Konstantinos
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Antibodies
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - diagnosis
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy
Biopsy
Black
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Musculoskeletal Pain - etiology
Patients
Raynaud Disease - etiology
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid Vasculitis - etiology
Skin
Steroids
Ulcers
Unusual Presentation of More Common Disease/Injury
USA/Canada
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Summary:Rheumatoid vasculitis is a rare and late complication of rheumatoid arthritis and may affect small-to-medium-sized vessels. Here, we report a case of a 49-year-old man who presented with amaurosis fugax in the left eye, symmetric polyarthritis, Raynaud's symptoms and paraesthesia in both lower extremities. The patient subsequently experienced right foot drop, nail fold infracts and gangrene of his right second toe. He was found to have a high titre of rheumatoid factor and treatment with rituximab and high dose of corticosteroids led to significant improvement of his symptoms. This is rare case describing the early onset of rheumatoid vasculitis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.
ISSN:1757-790X
1757-790X
DOI:10.1136/bcr-2016-217557