Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by erosive arthritis and systemic organ involvement. The disease may affect all ages and both sexes; usually it is seen in young women aged 25-45. Recent studies have shown that RA is among the most common inflammatory disease in older age groups. While elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) is still discussed in the literature, it is generally accepted as a disease beginning after 65 years of age. Compared with young-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA), it was found that EORA had different characteristics. EORA is characterized by more equal gender distribution, higher frequency of acute onset with constitutional symptoms, more frequent involvement of large joints, and lower frequency of rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity. Earlier diagnosis, less erosive disease and less disease-modifying antirheumatic drug usage were reported as distinguishing EORA from YORA patients. These various clinical presentations may cause difficulties in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of EORA. However, different clinical and treatment approaches may be needed in these patients. In this article, the clinical and laboratory characteristics, prognosis and treatment principles of EORA will be discussed in light of recent literature data.

In the present study, highly frequent sicca symptoms and Sjögren's syndrome based on AECG criteria were noted in patients with systemic sclerosis. The SSc-SS patient group had less severe clinical course and lung involvement.

Introduction. Sarcoidosis, which is a chronic inflammatory granulomatous disease, can mimic different rheumatologic diseases including connective tissue diseases. Antinuclear antibodies are the markers used for connective tissue diseases. Aim. To determine antinuclear antibody frequency and any possible correlation with clinical and laboratory data in sarcoidosis patients. Material and Method. Forty-two sarcoidosis patients, 45 rheumatoid arthritis patients, and 45 healthy volunteers who were followed up in rheumatology outpatient clinic were included in this study. Demographic, clinical, serological, and radiological data of all patients were recorded. Antinuclear antibodies were determined with indirect immunofluorescent method and 1/100 titration was accepted as positive. The cases that were ANA positive were evaluated with immunoblot method. Results. Average age of the 42 patients (10 males) with sarcoidosis was 45.2 (20–70 years), and average disease duration was 3.5 years. ANA positivity was detected in 12 (28.5%) patients with sarcoidosis (1/100 in 10 patients, 1/320 in two patients), in 19 of RA patients (42.2%), and in two of healthy volunteers in low titer (P < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis made by immunblot test, one patient had anticentromere antibody, one had anti-Ro antibody, one had anti-Scl-70 antibody, one had anti-dsDNA antibody, and eight patients were negative. The two patients who had anticentromere and anti-Scl-70 antibodies had also Sjögren's syndrome and scleroderma diagnosis, respectively. Discussion. The prevalence of ANA in patients with sarcoidosis was found to be significantly higher than healthy control group and lower than RA patients. This result shows that ANA may have an important role in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis and also could be important in revealing the overlap syndromes of sarcoidosis-connective tissue diseases. Further studies with larger series are necessary in this subject.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disorder of unknown etiology, which may involve various tissues and organs and is characterized by a noncaseating granuloma reaction. While pathogenesis is not yet clear, cellular immune system activation and nonspecific inflammatory response occur secondarily to several genetic and environmental factors. T helper 1-cells and macrophage-derived pro-inflammatory cytokines stimulate the inflammatory cascade and formation of granuloma occurs as a result of tissue permeability, cell influx, and local cell proliferation. The different prevalence, clinical results, and disease course observed in different races and ethnic groups, is an indicator of the heterogeneous nature of the disease. Sarcoidosis may mimic and/or may occur concomitantly with numerous primary rheumatic diseases. This disease most commonly presents with bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, pulmonary infiltrations, and skin and eye lesions. Locomotor system involvement is observed at a range of 15% and 25%. Two major joint involvements have been described: acute and chronic form. The most common form, the acute form, may be the first sign of sarcoidosis and present with arthralgia, arthritis, or periarthritis. Chronic sarcoid arthritis is usually associated with pulmonary parenchymal disease or other organ involvement and occurs rarely. While asymptomatic muscular involvement is reported between 25% and 75%, symptomatic muscular involvement is very rare. Symptomatic myopathy may present as three different types: chronic myopathy, palpable nodular myositis, or acute myositis. Even if rare, 2-5% of cases may exhibit osseous involvement and it is frequently associated with lupus pernio, chronic uveitis, and multisystemic disease. Sarcoidosis was reported together with different rheumatologic diseases. There are studies showing that sarcoidosis may mimic the clinical and laboratory findings of these disorders. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids are used for treating the symptoms of rheumatologic findings. In patients who are unresponsive to corticosteroids, immunosuppressive and anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha drugs may be used. In this review, the incidence of rheumatologic symptoms, the clinical findings, and the treatment of rheumatologic manifestations of sarcoidosis are discussed.