Chronic syphilitic polyarthritis mimicking systemic lupus erythematosus/rheumatoid arthritis as the initial presentation of human immunodeficiency virus infection

M Burgoyne; C Agudelo; E Pisko

Chronic syphilitic polyarthritis mimicking systemic lupus erythematosus/rheumatoid arthritis as the initial presentation of human immunodeficiency virus infection

J Rheumatol. 1992 Feb;19(2):313-5.

Authors

M Burgoyne¹, C Agudelo, E Pisko

Affiliation

¹ Section on Rheumatology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1058.

PMID: 1629836

Abstract

Syphilitic arthritis has been well characterized but not previously described as the initial presentation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Our patient presented with chronic symmetric polyarthritis and autoimmune abnormalities, including positive rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, dsDNA, and initially negative syphilis serologies. Subsequent investigations revealed HIV seropositivity, depletion of CD4 cells, and strongly positive syphilis serologies. Our patient's arthritis completely resolved with penicillin therapy.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Antibodies, Antinuclear / analysis
Arthritis, Infectious / complications
Arthritis, Infectious / diagnosis*
Arthritis, Infectious / drug therapy
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / complications
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / diagnosis*
Diagnosis, Differential
HIV Infections / complications
HIV Infections / diagnosis*
Humans
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / complications
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / diagnosis*
Male
Penicillins / therapeutic use
Rheumatoid Factor / analysis
Syphilis / complications
Syphilis / diagnosis*
Syphilis / drug therapy
Syphilis Serodiagnosis

Substances

Antibodies, Antinuclear
Penicillins
Rheumatoid Factor