Reiter's syndrome in an adolescent female with systemic sequelae

Reiter's syndrome (RS) generally affects adult white males. It occurs infrequently in adolescents. This condition is characterized by a triad of symptoms: arthritis, urethritis, and ocular abnormalities, and it usually has a benign course. We report an atypical case of RS in a black adolescent female who developed articular and ocular sequelae. Despite aggressive medical therapy, one year after diagnosis her condition has deteriorated and she is confined to a wheelchair. Although RS is believed to be a brief illness predominantly affecting the joints of the lower extremity, this condition may have severe systemic manifestations with chronic sequelae.