"Wegener’s granulomatosis in a patient with Rheumatoid arthritis "

Abstract

Wegener’s Granulomatosis is a necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis involving small and medium sized vessels. The syndrome is classically defined as having involvement of kidney, lungs and upper respiratory tract (i.e. sinuses). Wegener’s Granulomatosis may be present in other autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, particulary systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), but most frequently has been associated with polyarteritis and glumerulonephritis.We present a case of wegener’s Granulomatosis (WG) in a middle age lady with Rheumatiod Arthritis (RA); and discuss the implications of these two conditions co-existing in one patient. As for as we are aware, through medline and interent research, this is probably the fourth case with such as association of WG and RA and the fist one in Iran.Presentation of new uncontrollable sing and symptoms, in a previously well controlled RA patient, might suggest a new overlapping syndrome like Wegener’s Granulomatosis besides to flare up of previous disease as differential diagnosis