Tenosynovitis of the ankles as onset of sarcoidosis in a patient with ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Arthritis and tenosynovitis are frequently reported as complications of inflammatory bowel diseases. About 10% of patients with ulcerative colitis presents articular inflammation, usually in the phases of activity of intestinal disease. Tenosynovitis is also a frequent complication of ulcerative colitis. We describe here a case of tenosynovitis of both ankles occurring in a patient affected by ulcerative colitis not in active phase. Chest X-ray and TC showed hilar lymphonode enlargement and transbronchial biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. In this disease tenosynovitis is very rare, unlike arthritis that is rather common. In conclusion we observed a case of ankle bilateral tenosynovitis as onset manifestation of sarcoidosis

Multisystemic sarcoidosis—important lessons learnt from one of the great imitators

“…We also learnt that acute tenosynovitis may be a rare presentation of sarcoidosis usually observed in established sarcoidosis and associated with a higher than usual incidence of polyarthritis 76 77. While sarcoid tenosynovitis almost exclusively occurs in the hands,77 there have been reports of ankle tenosynovitis78 and Achilles tendinitis79 in sarcoidosis.Lastly, there are, to date, no randomised controlled studies on the treatment of multisystemic sarcoidosis. No doubt, this is likely because sarcoidosis is a rare condition and may be of a self-limiting disease course.…”