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Is inflammatory joint disease in HIV-infected patients a form of spondyloarthropathy?
1Rheumatology Department, Brazzaville Teaching Hospital, CHU de Brazzaville, B.P. 32, Brazzaville, Congo. h.ntsiba@voila.fr
Unlabelled:
In Congo-Brazzaville, the seroprevalence of HIV infection is in the range 7-8%, and AIDS is the leading cause of aseptic arthritis (60% of cases).
Patients, Material And Methods:
The ESSG and Amor's criteria for spondyloarthropathy were evaluated in 83 patients with HIV infection admitted for aseptic arthritis to the rheumatology department of the Brazzaville teaching hospital, over an 8-year period.
Results:
All 83 patients were CDC stage IV; 66 (80%) had polyarthritis and 17 (20%) oligoarthritis. A single patient met ESSG and Amor's criteria, with six points; one patient had five points and 15 had three points. The joint involvement was asymmetrical and nonerosive. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory therapy ensured resolution of the manifestations within 4-8 weeks. The most common sites of involvement were the knees (84%), ankles (59%), and great toes (23%) at the lower limbs and the wrists (41%), elbows (29%), and metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints (25%) at the upper limbs.
Conclusion:
Inflammatory arthritis in HIV patients does not meet ESSG or Amor's criteria for spondyloarthropathy.
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