DOI: 10.12890/2025_005350
Reactive arthritis
Authors
carolinantoniosantos@gmail.com
Keywords
Reactive arthritis, Clostridioides difficile, pseudomembranous enterocolitis, spondyloarthritis, HLA-B27Abstract
Reactive arthritis is a form of seronegative spondylarthritis that presents following an infection, with clear associations to specific microorganisms. It is a rare entity and typically affects young adults.
An 88-year-old woman, admitted in our ward with pseudomembranous enterocolitis and acute renal lesion, presented with axial oligoarthritis on the 11th day after onset of symptoms. It was accompanied by elevation of inflammatory parameters – positive HLA-B27 and seronegative to rheumatoid factor, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide.
The patient improved following treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and inflammatory parameters normalised, with no recurrence after one year on follow-up.
This case illustrates a rare entity in the elderly, with an established association in more recent years with Clostridioides difficile.
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