[Erosive enteropathy in a patient with polyarthritis]

Anaemia is a common clinical feature in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the coexistence of blood loss may not show an obvious iron deficiency anaemia. The cause may be a cancer or other reason for gastrointestinal bleeding that could be underestimated for being explained as associated with the chronic rheumatic disease. Although less described than gastroduodenal lesions, small bowel damage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, are more common than previously thought. The authors describe a clinical case paradigmatic of the difficulties that may appear in the approach of anaemia in a patient with a chronic rheumatic disease and discuss some features of intestinal toxicity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.