Rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed in a 65-year-old man from Suriname, on the basis of clinical and radiological findings. However, he was eventually diagnosed with leprosy. This emerged when the patient developed skin lesions and complained of increasing sensibility disorders during treatment for the alleged rheumatoid arthritis. He was treated with a combination therapy consisting of rifampicin, clofazimine, dapsone, and prednisone. The skin lesions and joint symptoms were resolved as a result of this, but the sensibility disorders persisted. As physicians are not sufficiently familiar with leprosy and the condition has many manifestations that can mimic more frequently occurring diseases, leprosy is often diagnosed at a later stage. This may result in irreversible damage, especially to the peripheral nerves, which may lead to disability. Therefore, for patients who originate from areas where leprosy is endemic and who suffer from joint complaints in combination with skin or sensibility disorders, the diagnosis of leprosy should be considered.
BT - Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde C1 -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19785864?dopt=Abstract
DA - 2009 J2 - Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd LA - dut N2 -Rheumatoid arthritis was diagnosed in a 65-year-old man from Suriname, on the basis of clinical and radiological findings. However, he was eventually diagnosed with leprosy. This emerged when the patient developed skin lesions and complained of increasing sensibility disorders during treatment for the alleged rheumatoid arthritis. He was treated with a combination therapy consisting of rifampicin, clofazimine, dapsone, and prednisone. The skin lesions and joint symptoms were resolved as a result of this, but the sensibility disorders persisted. As physicians are not sufficiently familiar with leprosy and the condition has many manifestations that can mimic more frequently occurring diseases, leprosy is often diagnosed at a later stage. This may result in irreversible damage, especially to the peripheral nerves, which may lead to disability. Therefore, for patients who originate from areas where leprosy is endemic and who suffer from joint complaints in combination with skin or sensibility disorders, the diagnosis of leprosy should be considered.
PY - 2009 EP - A246 T2 - Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde TI - ['Rheumatoid arthritis' in a Surinamese man: leprosy]. TT - 'Reumatoïde artritis’ bij een Surinaamse man: lepra UR - https://www.ntvg.nl/system/files/publications/a246.pdf VL - 153 SN - 1876-8784 ER -