Clostridium Difficile-Induced Reactive Arthritis in an Elderly Patient

Authors

  • Válter R. Fonseca Clínica Universitária de Medicina II, CHLN – Hospital de Santa Maria, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa.
  • Francisca Vieira Clínica Universitária de Medicina II, CHLN – Hospital de Santa Maria, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa.
  • Marisa Teixeira Silva Clínica Universitária de Medicina II, CHLN – Hospital de Santa Maria, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa.
  • Rui Vitorino Clínica Universitária de Medicina II, CHLN – Hospital de Santa Maria, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24950/rspmi.875

Keywords:

Arthritis, Reactive, Clostridium difficile

Abstract

Introduction: Reactive arthritis is an aseptic inflammatory process induced by a bacterial infection of the digestive or genitourinary tract. Clostridium difficile is one of the rarest known causes of
reactive arthritis despite the rising of C. difficile infection epidemiological significance in hospitals.
Case Report: A 94-year old man was admitted with a C. difficile
colitis one week after being discharged from hospital due to a
S. aureus tracheobronchitis. Eight days after admission he developed an oligoarthritis. Septic, crystal-associated and degenerative arthropathies were excluded and a diagnosis of C. difficile-induced reactive arthritis was assumed. The patient was treated
with naproxen with rapid improvement.
Conclusion: C. difficile-induced reactive arthritis share many characteristics of the other forms of reactive arthritis tough there are
some particular epidemiological, clinical and pathophysiological features. Herein we present a case which shows the importance
of considering this diagnosis in elderly inpatients with diarrhea associated joint complaints.

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Additional Files

Published

2015-03-31

How to Cite

1.
Fonseca VR, Vieira F, Teixeira Silva M, Vitorino R. Clostridium Difficile-Induced Reactive Arthritis in an Elderly Patient. RPMI [Internet]. 2015 Mar. 31 [cited 2024 Dec. 18];22(1):20-2. Available from: https://revista.spmi.pt/index.php/rpmi/article/view/875

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 1 (2015): Janeiro/ Março

Section

Case Reports

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Copyright (c) 2015 Medicina Interna

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