[Clinical and morphologic parallels in children with rheumatoid mono- and oligoarthritis]

Altogether 88 children with rheumatoid arthritis were examined. Of these, 36 patients were with an injury to one articulation and 52 with an injury to one to three articulations. The clinical features of the articulation syndrome, the data obtained as a result of studying synovial fluid and of the morphological picture of synovial biopsy specimens made it possible to denote rheumatoid mono- and oligoarthritis in children as benign varieties of the disease with primarily local (in articulations) inflammatory process. The difference found was only qualitative as regards the intensity of the clinico-laboratory signs (more pronounced in patients suffering from oligoarthritis). This fact provides basis for making the diagnosis of monoarticular or oligoarticular rheumatoid arthritis.