Benign rheumatoid nodules

Nine cases in which subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules were observed in the absence of any evidence of rheumatoid arthritis are recorded. In four of these cases, the nodules appeared during adolescence or adult life, a very rare phenomenon. Synovitis occurred in only one patient, after an interval of 15 years, but it did not persist and other features of rheumatoid arthritis were not present. The siting of the nodules in the sub-cutaneous tissue, the absence of features suggestive of rheumatic fever, necrobiosis lipiodica or fungal infection, and lack of any history of trauma, together with the histological appearance, supported a diagnosis of rheumatoid nodules. In all cases, serological tests for rheumatoid factor were negative but in the only case investigated with immunofluorescent staining, IgG and IgM were demonstrated in the biopsy material. It is important to recognise the fact that these benign nodules do not necessarily indicate that the patient has rheumatoid arthritis, or will develop rheumatoid arthritis in the future. The possible relationship of such nodules to granuloma annulare is discussed.