Elsevier

Joint Bone Spine

Volume 68, Issue 2, April 2001, Pages 166-169
Joint Bone Spine

CASE REPORT
Arthropathy associated with anti-Jo-1 antibody

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1297-319X(01)00258-5Get rights and content

Abstract

Anti-Jo-1 antibody is associated with an overlap syndrome usually described as the association of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, pulmonary fibrosis and polyarthritis. We report three observations illustrating different aspects of arthropathy associated with anti-Jo-1 antibody. Two patients presented with a deforming and erosive arthritis affecting the hands, periarticular calcifications and dislocation of the interphalangeal (IP) joint of the thumb. The third patient, who had a short disease course, presented only with a mild non-erosive polyarthritis of both hands, metacarpophalangeal joint narrowing and periarticular calcifications. All the patients had interstitial pulmonary syndrome. Only two of them had myositis. An arthropathy characterized by erosive arthritis of the fingers, with dislocation of the IP joint of the thumb and periarticular calcifications, seems to be specifically associated with anti-Jo-1 antibody.

Section snippets

Case n° 1

In 1985, a 47-year-old white woman, with a history of Raynaud’s phenomenon, suddenly presented with fever (38° C), polyarthralgia, myalgia and proximal weakness. Biological investigations showed no immunological disturbance. Polymyositis was confirmed by electromyography (EMG) and muscular biopsy. She was given prednisolone (0.5 mg/kg/day), which resulted in an improvement of all symptoms. When prednisolone was tapered, the muscular weakness relapsed and a dyspnea appeared associated to

Case n° 2

In 1968, a 57-year-old white woman presented with arthritis of both hands diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and treated with nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs alone. She was hospitalized in 1995, when she presented with subcutaneous calcinosis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, sclerodactyly, telangiectasia and dyspnea. There was no muscular sign. Physical examination showed a luxation of the IP of the thumbs, the metacarpophalangeal (MP) of the right thumb and fifth right finger, and a luxation of

Case n° 3

A 44-year-old woman without any past medical history presented progressively, 6 months before she was hospitalized, a mild polyarthritis affecting the first, second and third MP of both hands, the IPP of the right index, and the IP of the right thumb with progressive stiffness of the fingers. At the same time, she developed an acrocyanosis, an erythematous oedema of the face, dyspnea and extreme proximal weakness. Biological data showed an inflammatory syndrome (CRP: 63 mg/L 〚N < 5mg/L〛),

Discussion

The anti-Jo-1 antibody is an anti-amino-acyl-tRNA synthetases antibody, initially reported as specific to IIM 〚2〛. The literature analysis confirms the almost constant myopathy and the frequent association with other systemic symptoms defining a real overlap syndrome 〚4〛. As the anti-RNP antibody is specifically linked to the mixed connective tissue disease, the term ‘antisynthetase syndrome’ or even ‘anti-Jo-1 antibody syndrome’ is increasingly used 〚5〛. This syndrome appears in white women

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