Rheumatoid markers in the absence of arthritis

A 45-year-old man had high titer rheumatoid factor in his serum, marked elevation of his erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and a histologically proven rheumatoid nodule in the absence of other manifestations of rheumatoid disease. These findings are most unusual and emphasize that serologic and histologic markers of rheumatoid arthritis may be present without arthritis or other disease manifestations.