01375nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653002600065653002000091653002800111653002100139653001100160653001200171653000900183653001600192653002300208653001500231100001500246700001600261700001300277245006200290300001000352490000700362520070200369022001401071       1980                            d  c1980 Nov10aAdult10aArthritis, Rheumatoid10aDermatomyositis10aDiagnosis, Differential10aErythema Nodosum10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aRheumatic Diseases10aVasculitis1 aAlbert D A1 aWeisman M H1 aKaplan R00aThe rheumatic manifestations of leprosy (Hansen disease).  a442-80 v593 a<p>Leprosy is a rare disorder in the United States, yet the rheumatic features of the disease appear to be common and frequently are the primary complaint. We observed rheumatic syndromes of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) occurring with and without arthritis, a swollen hands syndrome, cutaneous vasculitis, or myositis in the majority (15 of 21) of our patients. These syndromes were distinctive, sometimes dramatic, and appeared to "mimic" idiopathic rheumatic diseases, substantially delaying an accurate diagnosis of leprosy in some patients. These complications were the major cause of morbidity in our 21 patients and became dominant clinical problems requiring additional chemotherapy.</p>  a0025-7974