Skip to main content
PMC home page
Postgraduate Medical Journal logoLink to Postgraduate Medical Journal
. 1987 Jan;63(735):19–22. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.63.735.19

Pyogenic infection and rheumatoid arthritis.

I F Rowe 1, A C Deans 1, A C Keat 1
PMCID: PMC2428204  PMID: 3671222

Abstract

Ten episodes of severe pyogenic infection occurring in nine patients with rheumatoid arthritis are reported. There was a wide range of presenting features including pyoarthrosis in 7 episodes. Three cases presented with meningitis, bacterial endocarditis and probable multiple abscesses respectively. Infection was caused by Staphylococcus aureus in 7 episodes and by Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae and beta-haemolytic Streptococcus in each of one episode. Three infective episodes were fatal. Pyogenic, especially staphylococcal, infection should be considered in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with unexplained illness with or without sudden deterioration in joint symptoms. It is important to recognize and treat infection rapidly.

Full text

PDF
21

Images in this article

21Figure 1
on p.21
21Figure 2
on p.21

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Baum J. Infection in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1971 Jan-Feb;14(1):135–137. doi: 10.1002/art.1780140119. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. COBB S., ANDERSON F., BAUER W. Length of life and cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis. N Engl J Med. 1953 Oct 1;249(14):553–556. doi: 10.1056/NEJM195310012491402. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. KELLGREN J. H., BALL J., FAIRBROTHER R. W., BARNES K. L. Suppurative arthritis complicating rheumatoid arthritis. Br Med J. 1958 May 24;1(5081):1193–1200. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5081.1193. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kraft S. M., Panush R. S., Longley S. Unrecognized staphylococcal pyarthrosis with rheumatoid arthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 1985 Feb;14(3):196–201. doi: 10.1016/0049-0172(85)90039-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Mutru O., Laakso M., Isomäki H., Koota K. Ten year mortality and causes of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1985 Jun 15;290(6484):1797–1799. doi: 10.1136/bmj.290.6484.1797. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Myers A. R., Miller L. M., Pinals R. S. Pyarthrosis complicating rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet. 1969 Oct 4;2(7623):714–716. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(69)90427-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Prior P., Symmons D. P., Scott D. L., Brown R., Hawkins C. F. Cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis. Br J Rheumatol. 1984 May;23(2):92–99. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/23.2.92. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Rasker J. J., Cosh J. A. Cause and age at death in a prospective study of 100 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1981 Apr;40(2):115–120. doi: 10.1136/ard.40.2.115. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Rimoin D. L., Wennberg J. E. Acute septic arthritis complicating chronic rheumatoid arthritis. JAMA. 1966 May 16;196(7):617–621. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Uddin J., Kraus A. S., Kelly H. G. Survivorship and death in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1970 Mar-Apr;13(2):125–130. doi: 10.1002/art.1780130204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Vandenbroucke J. P., Hazevoet H. M., Cats A. Survival and cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis: a 25-year prospective followup. J Rheumatol. 1984 Apr;11(2):158–161. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Postgraduate Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES