Felty syndrome complicating juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

PURPOSE: To describe a case of Felty syndrome (FS) in a child with (JRA) and review the previous literature on this rare entity.

METHODS

Review of clinical data including results of serial blood counts, bone marrow aspirate, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-typing, and abdominal sonography.

RESULTS

Serial blood counts over 2 years revealed persistent leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Bone marrow aspirate showed normal trilineage hematopoiesis, abdominal sonography demonstrated an enlarged spleen, but normal liver and portal circulation. HLA-typing was most significant for positivity of the DR 1 allele.

CONCLUSION

This is only the third child, and the first preadolescent, to be reported with FS complicating juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This condition needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis when leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, or both develop in patients with JRA.