ATYPICAL COURSE OF AN (EOSINOPHILIC) FASC IITIS

A 22-year old male patient developed - following a short phase of mona rthritis - the symptoms of a symmetric, polysynoviatic, discrete erosi ve rheumatoid arthritis, thus fulfilling five of seven ACR criteria. I nitially as well as persisting during the course of the disease the pa lpable swelling of synovitis showed a coarse character. The radiologic al progression at the hands during an interval of eight years being on ly minimal the loss of functions, up to contraction of joints (left hi p) augmented considerably during that time. Neither rheumatoid factor or antinuclear antibodies nor evident eosinophilia or hypergammaglobul inaemia could be proved or verified. In 1994 muscle biopsy led to the diagnosis ''fasciitis with low-graded eosinophilia''. Anamnestic, clin ical and radiological signs and data as well as the course of the dise ase and assessing of differential diagnoses are presented and discusse d.