Poncet's Disease (Reactive Arthritis Associated with Tuberculosis)
Masayoshi Higashiguchi, Tomoshige Matsumoto, Takashi Kitamura, Nakajima Takako, Koji Nishioka, Hiromi Kimura, Takafumi Yamamoto, Kiyoshi Komuta
Abstract
An 82-year-old man with miliary tuberculosis was admitted to our hospital. Approximately six weeks after starting anti-tuberculosis treatment, he complained of pain in the fingers, wrists, and ankles. A histopathological examination of the synovial biopsy revealed nonspecific chronic inflammation with no granulomas. Culture of the biopsy specimen yielded no acid-fast bacilli. Poncet's disease was diagnosed based on the clinical presentation, with no findings suggestive of other diseases. His joint pain rapidly improved with steroid therapy. Tuberculosis can cause arthritis through immune-mediated mechanisms without direct invasion in an entity known as Poncet's disease.