Nonbacterial Suppurative Arthritis as a Complication of Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

AMONG the complications associated with chronic ulcerative colitis has been the development of associated "rheumatoid arthritis." The frequency of occurrence has been estimated at between 5 and 10 per cent,^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9} and in most cases it has been found that with control of the colitis, joint symptoms and signs have also regressed.Recently, we observed 2 patients with severe chronic ulcerative colitis who had strikingly similar "arthritic" complaints. In both, the clinical impression was that of "rheumatoid arthritis" complicating ulcerative colitis. Subsequently, there was spontaneous breakdown of the "joints" involved with the discharge of a purulent material that persistently failed to . . .