Digital vasculitis associated with joint sepsis in rheumatoid arthritis

Digital vasculitis complicating RA is not infrequent and is usually benign but may herald the onset of systemic vasculitis. A case is reported of a man with longstanding seropositive RA who developed digital vasculitis in association with septicaemia and multiple joint sepsis. Awareness that the onset of digital vasculitis in RA may be related to infection is important. This is especially so since aggressive immunosuppressive therapy is often used in patients with systemic vasculitis.