Development of rheumatoid arthritis in a patient with pernicious anemia: case report.

Abstract

Very few cases of rheumatoid arthritis combined with pernicious anemia have been reported in the world literature and none in the Chinese literature. A 62-year-old female initially presented with anemia. Pernicious anemia was diagnosed by characteristic blood and bone marrow morphology. Laboratory data showed a deficiency of vitamin B12 and positive anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies. Her anemia improved after vitamin B12 therapy. Painful swelling of multiple joints developed 6 years later. The clinical presentation supported a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. We report herein a rare case of rheumatoid arthritis and pernicious anemia in the same ethnic Chinese patient. We also review the literature and discuss a possible association between a non-organ-specific autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and an organ-specific autoimmune disease, pernicious anemia.

• Authors: P L Wang, L B Liou, P Dunn
• Journal: Chang Gung medical journal (Chang Gung Med J) Vol. 24 Issue 2 Pg. 125-9 (Feb 2001) ISSN: 2072-0939 [Print] China (Republic : 1949- )
• PMID: 11360403 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Anemia, Pernicious (complications)
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (etiology)
• Autoimmune Diseases (etiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Middle Aged
• Organ Specificity