SYMMETRICAL POLYARTHRITIS AS THE PRESENTING MANIFESTATION OF SCLEROMYXEDEMA

Scleromyxedema (lichen myxedematosus) is a variant of papular mucinosi s which is characterized by cutaneous induration secondary to mucinous infiltration and sclerosis within the dermis. Systemic involvement re ported in patients with scleromyxedema has included esophageal dysmoti lity, arteritis, myopathy, and cardiovascular diseases. The causative factor relating the underlying disorder to these associated conditions has not been elucidated. The following report describes a patient wit h scleromyxedema whose initial manifestation was a symmetric polyarthr itis.