Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma-associated arthritis: case report and literature review

• Published in: Journal of clinical rheumatology Vol. 11; no. 6; p. 326
• Main Authors: Tsochatzis, Emmanuel, Vassilopoulos, Dimitrios, Deutsch, Melanie, Filiotou, Anna, Tasidou, Anna, Archimandritis, Athanasios J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2005
• Subjects: Arthritis - diagnostic imaging; Arthritis - etiology; Arthritis - pathology; Biopsy; Bone Marrow - pathology; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy - complications; Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy - pathology; Lymph Nodes - pathology; Lymphoma, T-Cell - complications; Lymphoma, T-Cell - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Neck; Radiography
• ISSN: 1076-1608
• DOI: 10.1097/01.rhu.0000195105.20029.07

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with systemic manifestations, including fever, lymphadenopathy, rash, and rarely arthritis. We report the case of a patient who presented with symmetric inflammatory polyarthritis and skin nodules resembling rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patient responded initially to low-dose prednisolone, but 12 months later, he developed typical features of AITL. The characteristics of AITL-associated arthritis from 16 additional cases from the English literature are also reviewed. AITL-associated arthritis is an uncommon manifestation of angioimmunoblastic lymphoma that can mimic RA, especially when the typical systemic features of lymphoma are absent. This type of arthritis should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with an inflammatory polyarthritis.