Rheumatoid arthritis associated with myelodysplastic syndrome: A case report

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of refractory anemias resulting from a clonal stem cell disorder often associated with cytogenetic abnorma lities. There is increasing recognition of immunological abnormalities in p atients with MDS, including defective B- and T-cell function, hyper- or hyp ogammaglobulinemia and monoclonal gammopathy. MDS have been associated with Sjogren's syndrome, polymyalgia rheumatica, relapsing polychondritis and s ystemic lupus erythematosus. Although there may be various rheumatologic fe atures, including acute arthritis in MDS, chronic inflammatory arthritis is uncommonly combined. There have been a few reports that described cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) concurrent with MDS, but advanced rheumatoid art hritis with typical joint deformities has rarely been reported. We report a case of rheumatoid arthritis with atlantoaxial subluxation combined with r efractory anemia in a 31-year-old woman.