Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Vasculitis | Case report

Rheumatoid nodules in thyroid gland parenchyma as an expression of rheumatoid arthritis: a case report

Authors: Efthimios Sivridis, Maria Kouroupi, Michael Ioannis Koukourakis, Stella Arelaki, Nikolaos Lyratzopoulos, Alexandra Giatromanolaki

Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports | Issue 1/2019

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

The rheumatoid nodule is the most common extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis. When present, it is readily identified in conventional hematoxylin and eosin sections.

Case presentation

We report a case with several rheumatoid nodules in a thyroid gland of a 33-year-old Greek woman with a 3-year history of rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate, after having total thyroidectomy for hypothyroidism.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that rheumatoid nodules have been encountered in the thyroid gland.
Literature
1.
go back to reference Scott DL, Wolfe F, Huizinga TW. Rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet. 2010;376(9746):1094–108.CrossRef Scott DL, Wolfe F, Huizinga TW. Rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet. 2010;376(9746):1094–108.CrossRef
2.
go back to reference Cutolo M, Kitas GD, van Riel PL. Burden of disease in treated rheumatoid arthritis patients: going beyond the joint. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2014;43:479–88.CrossRef Cutolo M, Kitas GD, van Riel PL. Burden of disease in treated rheumatoid arthritis patients: going beyond the joint. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2014;43:479–88.CrossRef
3.
go back to reference Carmona L, González-Alvaro I, Balsa A, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis in Spain: occurrence of extra-articular manifestations and estimates of disease severity. Ann Rheum Dis. 2003;62:897–900.CrossRef Carmona L, González-Alvaro I, Balsa A, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis in Spain: occurrence of extra-articular manifestations and estimates of disease severity. Ann Rheum Dis. 2003;62:897–900.CrossRef
4.
go back to reference Hochberg MC, Johnston SS, John AK. The incidence and prevalence of extra-articular and systemic manifestations in a cohort of newly-diagnosed patients with rheumatoid arthritis between 1999 and 2006. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008;24:469–80.CrossRef Hochberg MC, Johnston SS, John AK. The incidence and prevalence of extra-articular and systemic manifestations in a cohort of newly-diagnosed patients with rheumatoid arthritis between 1999 and 2006. Curr Med Res Opin. 2008;24:469–80.CrossRef
5.
go back to reference Charles CA, Bialy TL, Falabella AF, et al. Poor prognosis of arthritis-associated pyoderma gangrenosum. Arch Dermatol. 2004;140:861–4.CrossRef Charles CA, Bialy TL, Falabella AF, et al. Poor prognosis of arthritis-associated pyoderma gangrenosum. Arch Dermatol. 2004;140:861–4.CrossRef
7.
go back to reference Kato K, Segami N, Fukuda H, et al. Rheumatoid nodule in the lower lip of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis: a novel case report and review of literature. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2014;72:1532.e1–5.CrossRef Kato K, Segami N, Fukuda H, et al. Rheumatoid nodule in the lower lip of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis: a novel case report and review of literature. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2014;72:1532.e1–5.CrossRef
8.
go back to reference Crostein BN. Interleukin-6 – a key mediator of systemic and local symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis. Bull NYU Hosp J Dis. 2007;65(Suppl 1):S11–5. PMID: 17708739 Crostein BN. Interleukin-6 – a key mediator of systemic and local symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis. Bull NYU Hosp J Dis. 2007;65(Suppl 1):S11–5. PMID: 17708739
9.
go back to reference Solomon DH, Karlson EW, Rimm EB, et al. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in women diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Circulation. 2003;107(9):1303–7.CrossRef Solomon DH, Karlson EW, Rimm EB, et al. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in women diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Circulation. 2003;107(9):1303–7.CrossRef
10.
go back to reference Nadkar MY, Agarwal R, Samant RS, et al. Neuropathy in rheumatoid arthritis. J Assoc Physicians India. 2001;49:217–20. PMID: 11225133PubMed Nadkar MY, Agarwal R, Samant RS, et al. Neuropathy in rheumatoid arthritis. J Assoc Physicians India. 2001;49:217–20. PMID: 11225133PubMed
12.
go back to reference Cibas ES, Ali SZ. The 2017 Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. Thyroid. 2017;27(11):1341–6.CrossRef Cibas ES, Ali SZ. The 2017 Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. Thyroid. 2017;27(11):1341–6.CrossRef
13.
go back to reference Cojocaru M, Cojocaru IM, Silosi I, et al. Extra-articular Manifestations in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Maedica (Buchar). 2010;5:286–91. PMID: 21977172 Cojocaru M, Cojocaru IM, Silosi I, et al. Extra-articular Manifestations in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Maedica (Buchar). 2010;5:286–91. PMID: 21977172
14.
go back to reference Tilstra JS, Lienesch DW. Rheumatoid Nodules. Dermatol Clin. 2015;33:361–71.CrossRef Tilstra JS, Lienesch DW. Rheumatoid Nodules. Dermatol Clin. 2015;33:361–71.CrossRef
15.
go back to reference Chakraborty PP. Methotrexate-induced accelerated nodulosis in seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. J Assoc Physicians India. 2013;61:274. PMID: 24482967PubMed Chakraborty PP. Methotrexate-induced accelerated nodulosis in seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. J Assoc Physicians India. 2013;61:274. PMID: 24482967PubMed
16.
go back to reference Nakamura T, Inaba M, Yoshinaga T, et al. Nodules in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and methotrexate treatment. Mod Rheumatol. 2015;25:812–3.CrossRef Nakamura T, Inaba M, Yoshinaga T, et al. Nodules in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and methotrexate treatment. Mod Rheumatol. 2015;25:812–3.CrossRef
17.
18.
go back to reference Nagnur-Mehta P, Chitnis N, Joshi VR. Subcutaneous nodules in rheumatoid arthritis. J Assoc Physicians India. 2013;61:136. PMID: 24471253PubMed Nagnur-Mehta P, Chitnis N, Joshi VR. Subcutaneous nodules in rheumatoid arthritis. J Assoc Physicians India. 2013;61:136. PMID: 24471253PubMed
19.
go back to reference Vantrease A, Trabue C, Atkinson J, et al. Large endocardial rheumatoid nodules: a case report and review of the literature. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2017;7:175–7.CrossRef Vantrease A, Trabue C, Atkinson J, et al. Large endocardial rheumatoid nodules: a case report and review of the literature. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. 2017;7:175–7.CrossRef
20.
go back to reference Al-Ghamdi A, Attar SM. Extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis: a hospital-based study. Ann Saudi Med. 2009;29:189–93.CrossRef Al-Ghamdi A, Attar SM. Extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis: a hospital-based study. Ann Saudi Med. 2009;29:189–93.CrossRef
21.
go back to reference Chanin K, Vallejo-Manzur F, Sternbach GL, Fromm RE Jr, Varon J. Pulmonary Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Hosp Physician. 2001;37:23–8. Chanin K, Vallejo-Manzur F, Sternbach GL, Fromm RE Jr, Varon J. Pulmonary Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Hosp Physician. 2001;37:23–8.
22.
go back to reference Gabbay E, Tarala R, Will R, et al. Interstitial lung disease in recent onset rheumatoid arthritis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1997;156(2 Pt 1):528–35.CrossRef Gabbay E, Tarala R, Will R, et al. Interstitial lung disease in recent onset rheumatoid arthritis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1997;156(2 Pt 1):528–35.CrossRef
23.
go back to reference Agrawal S, Misra R, Aggarwal A. Anemia in rheumatoid arthritis high prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in Indian patients. Rheumatol Int. 2006;26:1091–5.CrossRef Agrawal S, Misra R, Aggarwal A. Anemia in rheumatoid arthritis high prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in Indian patients. Rheumatol Int. 2006;26:1091–5.CrossRef
24.
go back to reference Bhargava A, Hegde PU, Tallapureddy S, et al. Rheumatoid nodules in the thyroid bed following total thyroidectomy: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2013;7:247.CrossRef Bhargava A, Hegde PU, Tallapureddy S, et al. Rheumatoid nodules in the thyroid bed following total thyroidectomy: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2013;7:247.CrossRef
25.
go back to reference Harris M. The cellular infiltrate in Hashimoto's disease and focal lymphocytic thyroiditis. J Clin Pathol. 1969;22:326–33.CrossRef Harris M. The cellular infiltrate in Hashimoto's disease and focal lymphocytic thyroiditis. J Clin Pathol. 1969;22:326–33.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Rheumatoid nodules in thyroid gland parenchyma as an expression of rheumatoid arthritis: a case report
Authors
Efthimios Sivridis
Maria Kouroupi
Michael Ioannis Koukourakis
Stella Arelaki
Nikolaos Lyratzopoulos
Alexandra Giatromanolaki
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Medical Case Reports / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1752-1947
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-019-2113-9

Other articles of this Issue 1/2019

Journal of Medical Case Reports 1/2019 Go to the issue