Association of Vogt Koyanagi Harada Syndrome and Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Background: Vogt Koyanagi Harada (VKH) Syndrome is a rarely-seen multi-systemic, autoimmune and inflammatory disease. It observed frequently with neurologic, auditory and skin manifestations and characterized with bilateral, chronic and diffused granulomatous panuveitis. It generally affects women in young-adult period.

Case: A 57 year-old female patient applied to a special center one year ago with a complaint of decrease in the sight acuity of the right eye. The right eye was operated on with cataract diagnosis. Uveitis was developed firstly in the right eye and then in the left eye after the operation. Having complaints about uveitis, tinnitus and hear loss, the patient was diagnosed with VKH syndrome. The pains started to be felt in small hand joints and both of the two ankles. The pains were increasing especially in the mornings and during rest. The duration of morning stiffness was two hours in hand and foot joints. The patient had had lumbar pain with mechanic characteristic for five years.

Conclusion: Being diagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA), our case is presented because VKH syndrome is rarely seen in Turkey, and the joint findings are at the forefront.

Keywords: Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis, joint involvement, Vogt Koyanagi Harada Syndrome