Ann. rheum. Dis. (1974), 33, 204 Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.33.3.204 on 1 May 1974. Downloaded from Deforming arthropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus A. S. RUSSELL, J. S. PERCY, W. M. RIGAL, AND G. L. WILSON University ofAlberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Arthritis is a well-recognized feature ofsystemic lupus hands. All exhibited features of lupus that fitted the erythematosus (SLE), which may be confused with the preliminary American Rheumatism Association criteria joint manifestations ofrheumatoid arthritis (Tumulty, (Table) and in two (Cases 5 and 4) the diagnosis was reviews ofthe articular disorders of confirmed at autopsy. The characteristic features of the 1954). Two recent joint deformities were that initially they could be volun- SLE have emphasized that, apart from aseptic tarily corrected, often by 'trick' movements, even when necrosis, destructive and deforming arthritis is rare in marked subluxation was present. Furthermore, they were this disease (Pekin and Zwaifler, 1970; Labowitz and not associated with radiologically detectable erosions. Schumacher, 1971). Arthritis without deformity has In four of the patients described (4, 1, 2, 5) direct indeed been suggested as one of the preliminary inspection at surgery confirmed that there was no macro- American Rheumatism Association criteria for the scopic damage to the cartilage in the involved joints, and diagnosis ofSLE (Cohen, Reynolds, Franklin, Kulka, in two ofthese (4 and 5) further confirmation was obtained Ropes, Shulman, and Wallace, 1971). at autopsy some months later. The clinical features of the disease in these seven patients are shown in the Table. We have endeavoured to use some of the categories and Material designations suggested in the preliminary American copyright. Seven of thirty patients with spontaneous SLE seen con- Rheumatism Association criteria, although like others secutively in the Rheumatic Disease Unit ofthe University (Fries and Siegel, 1973) we find these unsatisfactory in of Alberta had a progressively deforming arthritis in the some respects. Table Particulars ofseven female patients http://ard.bmj.com/ Patient no. 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 Age (yrs) 25 39 51 47 52 41 21 Duration of disease (yrs) 6 17 15 8 13 10 5 Duration ofjoint deformity 1 3 4 4 2 3 2 (yrs) Steroid therapy + + + + + Facial erythema (butterfly) + - - + + Raynaud's phenomenon + + + on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected Alopecia + - + + unk. Photosensitivity + - - unk. Pleuritis and/or pericarditis - ++ - unk. +pI. Leucopenia, haemolysis, +L +L +H, L +L +L, H thrombocytopcnia LEcell factor + + + + + Antinuclear antibody + + + + + + Latex test for rheumatoid + factor Proteinuria (3 5 g./24 hrs) - - + + + + Cellular casts in urine + Immunofluorescence of normal + + ND + ND skin Glomerular histology ND ND ND Prolif. GN Mem. GN Mem. GN Mem. GN Keratoconjunctivitis sicca + + +ve Schirmer ND ND + +ve Schirmer Accepted for publication September 3, 1973. Address for reprints: A. S. Russell, F.R.C.P.(C.), Room 9114, Clinical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3 Canada. Deforming arthropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus 205 Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.33.3.204 on 1 May 1974. Downloaded from FIG. 1 Case 4. Correctable swan-neck deformities and ulnar deviation copyright. http://ard.bmj.com/ on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected FIG. 2 Case 4. No evidence ofbone erosion in spite ofmarked deformity HAND DEFORMITIES synovial membrane showed little infiltration with in- flammatory cells (Fig. 4, overleaf). Case 4 Marked palmar subluxation of the proximal phalanges Case 2 was present with moderate ulnar deviation. All the Bilateral palmar subluxation with pronounced ulnar fingers had swan-neck deformities and an intrinsic deviation was present at the MCP joints of all fingers. plus deformity was noted in the thumb (Figs 1 and 2). Synovectomies were performed on these joints and the The long extensor tendons were dislocated to the ulnar extensor tendons were relocated radially. At operation the side of the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint. X articular cartilage appeared to be entirely normal. Promi- rays (Fig. 2) showed no evidence of bone damage and nent synovial hyperplasia was evident on histological inspection of the MCP joints at operation did not examination but only mild mononuclear cell infiltration reveal any cartilage erosions (Fig. 3, overleaf). The was seen. 206 Annals ofthe Rheumatic Diseases Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.33.3.204 on 1 May 1974. Downloaded from FIG. 3 Case 4. Metacarpal heads-no cartilage damage seen at operation _ ......... 2 .. _| _E ss . -_ rt _a.f_u. E .:^3JE' X ': !::'. .sillB _ B ': s :,^, Afi fi ': ' - . - ::N P.: -_ =f.eet .. FIG. 5 Case 1. Non-correctable deformities of the PlP copyright. joints _s ......... BS. S _... active or:._passive movements. ..These abnormalities ^Atwere found to be...Ldue .-to contractures | l I!F S _ofWgthe ulnar wing tendons and the lateral retinacular ligaments. These were corrected surgically, and during_- ....the sz.:asoperation s_rXthe middle slip of the extensor retinaculum was seen to be still firmly attached to its normal insertion in contrast to the usual boutonniere http://ard.bmj.com/ deformity of rheumatoid arthritis. The cartilage of the PIP joints was macroscopically entirely normal. Case 5 *. ws:''~~~~~~~~~~~.0, - Palmar subluxation and ulnar deviation of the proximat phalanges was present bilaterally and the extensor tendons were displaced to the ulnar side. All fingers showed 4 *~~~~4 swan-neck deformities. Replacement arthroplasties were on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected performed on the MCP joints of the right hand. The * 4_ _ ¾.: articular cartilage was again seen to be normal. Case 6 Correctable subluxation was present at the first carpo- r14 ei~ > metacarpal (CMC) joint. All fingers exhibited a triggering phenomenon because ofdorsal subluxation ofthe proximal phalanges on the metacarpal heads. A fixed block to full extension of the PIP joints was present and was due to apparent contraction of the lateral retinacular ligament, FIG. 4 Case 4. Synovia 1 membrane. x200 as in Case 1. Case 1 Case 7 Bilateral flexion contractures of the proximal inter- Mild ulnar deviation and palmar subluxation were present phalangeal (PIP) joints of all the fingers were present with at the MCP joints of the fingers of the right hand (Fig. 6). hyperextension of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints There was also a flexion contracture of the fourth PIP (Fig. 5). None of these deformities was correctable by joint. Deforming arthropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus 207 Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.33.3.204 on 1 May 1974. Downloaded from FIG. 6 Case 7. Mild ulnar deviation, especially on the right side Case 3 not associated with radiological evidence of damage All fingers showed correctable swan-neck deformities, to bone or cartilage. The rarity oferosivejoint damage copyright. but a mild fixed deformity of the distal IP joint of the has also been commented on by other authors (Gould right little finger had developed (Fig. 7, overleaf). Inter- and Daves, 1955, Phocas and others, 1967; Cruick- mittent volar subluxation of the proximal phalanx of this shank, 1959). finger was also present (Fig. 8, overleaf). The deformities that we have described in the seven patients presented vary, but they have two charac- Discussion teristics in common: the absence of radiologically detectable erosions and, in all but one (Case 1), the Joint involvement occurs in about 90 per cent. of correctable nature of the deformity. This is in marked http://ard.bmj.com/ patients at some time during the course of systemic contrast to rheumatoid arthritis where the appearance lupus erythematosus (Tumulty, 1954). Inflammation of hand deformity is paralleled by the radiological may not be prominent, and there is often a discrepancy appearance of bony erosions. In addition, the hand between the severity of the subjective symptoms and deformities usually soon become permanent in the lack of objective changes. This paradox may even rheumatoid arthritis, whereas the arthropathy of SLE be a helpftul indicator towards the correct diagnosis appears to be similar to the Jaccoud's arthropathy of are (Tumulty, 1954; Nesgovorova, 1966). chronic rheumatic fever, where the deformities on October 2, 2021 by guest. Protected Although radiological evidence of bone erosions also voluntarily correctable and are not associated has been reported to occur in patients with SLE with radiological evidence ofjoint damage (Bywaters, (Gould and Daves, 1955; Phocas, Andriotakis, 1950; Zvaifler, 1962). Kaklamanis, and Antonopoulos, 1967), it is known to The arthritis of SLE is often evanescent and the be rare, and indeed damage due to avascular necrosis synovial fluid demonstrates less evidence of inflam- is more frequent (Labowitz and Schumacher, 1971). mation than is seen in rheumatoid arthritis (Ropes Noonan, Odone, Engleman, and Splitter (1963) and Bauer, 1953; Pekin and Zvaifler, 1970; Labowitz described four patients out of a series of 25 with SLE and Schumacher, 1971). The synovial membrane who had joint deformities, and commented that two itself commonly shows only a mild degree of inflam- of them had a 'relative lack of severe bony erosions'. mation without marked synovial cell proliferation Our seven patients all had marked joint deformities, (Cruickshank, 1959). The development of deformity but none had detectable erosion of bone or cartilage. in our patients and in others previously described is In a recent review ofthe articular manifestations of clearly due to inflammation of and eventual contrac- SLE (Labowitz and Schumacher, 1971), two of 25 tures in para-articular tissues rather than damage to patients were noted to have swan-neck deformities in bone and cartilage. the hands, these were voluntarily correctable and were The arthritis of SLE may be related to circulating 208 Annals ofthe Rheuimatic Diseases Ann Rheum Dis: first published as 10.1136/ard.33.3.204 on 1 May 1974. Downloaded from immune complexes (Schur and Sandson, 1968), (Froland, Natvig, and Husby, 1973).