Coexisting ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis: a case report with literature review.
- Author:
Ying-Ying GUO
1
;
Li-Li YANG
;
Hua-Dong CUI
;
Shuai ZHAO
;
Ning ZHANG
Author Information
1. Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, China.
- Publication Type:Case Reports
- MeSH:
Adult;
Arthritis, Rheumatoid;
diagnosis;
metabolism;
Female;
HLA-B27 Antigen;
metabolism;
HLA-DR4 Antigen;
metabolism;
Humans;
Spondylitis, Ankylosing;
diagnosis;
metabolism
- From:
Chinese Medical Journal
2011;124(20):3430-3432
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
A 30-year-old female patient with coexisting ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed and treated. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 is a predisposing factor of ankylosing spondylitis and HLA-DR4 is a predisposing factor of rheumatoid arthritis. This patient was HLA-B27 and HLA-DR4 positive, and ankylosing spondylitis manifested before rheumatoid arthritis. After disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs successfully arrested ankylosing spondylitis activity the patient conceived and delivered a healthy baby. One year later, she developed peripheral polyarthritis and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. We hypothesized that pregnancy may be one of the environmental factors that can activate rheumatoid arthritis, and that disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs play an important role in keeping the disease under control.
