CLINICAL COURSE OF REMITTING SERONEGATIVE SYMMETRICAL SYNOVITIS WITH PITTING EDEMA IN 13 ELDERLY SUBJECTS

OBJECTIVES: The position of remitting seronegative symmetrical synovit is with pitting edema (RS3PE syndrome) among inflammatory rheumatic di seases. Is it a distinct syndrome or a clinical feature? PATIENTS AND METHODS: To answer this question a retrospective study was conducted i n 13 elderly patients (mean age: 72 years). The clinical course and la boratory findings were followed for 3 to 172 months after disease onse t. RESULTS: In two patients, another disease was diagnosed: polymyalgi a rheumatica, late onset peripheral spondylarthropathy. Two relapses o f RS3PE were noted. There was no clinical difference between initial R S3PE and relapsing RS3PE. In four cases, RS2PE syndrome revealed anoth er disease: dermatopolymyositis, AL amyloidosis, polymyalgia rheumatic a, late onset peripheral spondylarthropathy. No rheumatoid arthritis a ppeared, but one patient was positive for rheumatoid factors. A benign course was observed in all patients, without paraneoplastic syndrome and without death. CONCLUSION: Benign edematous polyarthritis in the e lderly is a syndrome that may reveal connective tissue disease or infl ammatory rheumatic disease.