Last update:
   29-Jul-2010
 

Arch Hellen Med, 27(4), July-August 2010, 708-713

CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL ROUNDS

Hepatosplenomegaly in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate

G.S. KARAGIANIDIS, M. MANTZOURANI, A. ANASTASOPOULOU, G. VAIOPOULOS, J. MELETIS
First Department of Internal Medicine, "Laiko" General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece

The case is reported of a 79 year-old female with rheumatoid arthritis, receiving treatment with methotrexate, who presented with hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, leukopenia and hypergammaglobulinemia. The diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis was established and the patient had an excellent outcome. Visceral leishmaniasis is an extremely rare theraoccurrence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate. Other than visceral leishmaniasis reports of many other opportunistic infections or complications in patients treated with methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis were found in the literature.

Key words: Leishmaniasis, Methotrexate, Rheumatoid arthritis.

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