FELTYS-SYNDROME TREATED WITH RHG-CSF ASSOCIATED WITH FLARE OF ARTHRITIS AND SKIN RASH

A patient with Felty's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis was treated w ith recombinant granulocyte stimulating factor rhG-CSF (Neupogen) in v iew of severe neutropenia. He had a prompt rise in his neutrophil coun t and associated with this a severe flare of his arthritis and a skin rash. rhG-CSF was stopped, his neutrophil count fell rapidly and his s ymptoms resolved. rhG-CSF and the resulting rise in neutrophil count m ay be associated with flare of autoimmune disease in susceptible indiv iduals.