Paraneoplastic Polyarthritis Associated with the Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

Description

A patient with a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) may develop a polyarthritis. MDS is associated with a number of paraneoplastic autoimmune disorders, some of which affect the joints.

The arthritis may take the form of:

(1) rheumatoid arthritis

(2) polymyalgia rheumatica

(3) remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE)

(4) undifferentiated arthritis

(5) pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease)

(6) associated with cryoglobulinemia

The diagnosis requires exclusion of a pre-existing or independent onset of arthritis. A link to MDS involves:

(1) onset of both conditions within 12 months of each other

(2) fluctuation in arthritis severity in parallel with MDS severity

(3) poor response of the arthritis to standard therapy

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Paraneoplastic Polyarthritis Associated with the Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

Description

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