LETTER TO THE EDITOR - Sarcoid-like granulomatous disease following Enbrel treatment for RA

[Guest guest]

Journal of Rheumatology

Mar 2007

First Release Feb 1 2007

Sarcoid-like Granulomatous Disease Following Etanercept Treatment for

Rheumatoid Arthritis

To the Editor:

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder of unknown etiology with both

pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations typically characterized by

noncaseating granulomas or nodular granulomata1. We describe a case of

sarcoid-like granulomatous disease with respiratory and parotid

involvement developing in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

treated with etanercept.

A 52-year-old woman developed bilateral parotid gland swelling,

lethargy, sicca symptoms, and abdominal pain following 18 months of

etanercept treatment for a severe flare of RA. She had a history of

seropositive erosive RA, treated with corticosteroids prior to the use

of etanercept, and cutaneous lupus erythematosus. An initial clinical

diagnosis of secondary Sjögren's syndrome was made and the etanercept

was discontinued.

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Read the rest of the letter here:

http://www.jrheum.com/subscribers/07/03/648.html

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Not an MD