Paraneoplastic arthritis: a series of 92 cases.

OBJECTIVES

Paraneoplastic arthritis (PA) is one of the paraneoplastic syndromes. Both laboratory and clinical findings similar to rheumatological diseases can be seen. In this study we aimed to present the clinical and laboratory findings, malignancy types and pathological diagnoses of patients with paraneoplastic arthritis.

METHODS

In a multicentre retrospective study, 92 patients with PA from the last 10 years were included.

RESULTS

Patients with PA and haematological malignancies exhibited the highest ratio of lymphomas (25.6%). The most common cancer detected in patients with solid malignancy and PA was lung cancer (41.5%). All malignant patients with PA had significant anti-CCP positivity compared with the healthy control group (P = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

Although PA is a rare condition, it can be confused with many rheumatological diseases. The most commonly involved joint is the knee joint, followed by the ankle and hand/wrist. Autoantibody negativity, high lactate dehydrogenase level and arthritis unresponsive to treatment constitute important clues for diagnosis.