Fibroblastic rheumatism: clinical and histologic evolution of cutaneous manifestations.

Correlation of the clinical manifestations of a patient with fibroblastic rheumatism with sequential skin biopsy findings revealed an early inflammatory stage with cutaneous nodules, patchy erythematous skin lesions, polyarthritis, dermal lymphomonocytic infiltrates, and fibroblastic and myofibroblastic proliferation, followed by a chronic stage with sclerodactyly, joint ankylosis, deformities and dense dermal fibrosis. Treatment of this rare disorder in its early active stages may prevent the development of incapacitating joint sequelae.