Kartagener's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis: an unusual association

We report the case of a 66-year-old caucasian woman affected by Kartagener's syndrome (KS), a genetically transmitted disorder characterised by situs viscerum inversus, bronchiectasis and sinusitis, who also developed rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The impaired mucociliary function typical of KS caused recurrent paranasal sinus and lung infections, as shown by CT scans of the sinuses and chest. The coexistence of KS and RA in our patient was probably accidental. Given the small number of patients in whom an association of the two disorders has been described, it is impossible to establish whether KS might play a role in the pathogenesis of RA.