Abstract
The authors deal with affection of cervical spine in psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. They compare incidence, course, possibility of diagnosis and treatment of both types of cervical spine affection in these disorders.
Relevant questions are described in the case report of 55 years old patient with HLA-B27 positive polyarticular form of psoriatic arthritis, without sacroiliitis. Since the onset, the disease has had a high humoral activity and destructive capacity resulting into 2 joint replacements.
During 4 years a severe affection of cervical spine with atlantoaxial subluxation has developed. Consequently the cervical myelopathy appeared, which required, during 3 months, a surgical intervention.
This type of "RA-like" cervical spine affection is not characteristic for psoriatic arthritis, however, it should not be missed for its serious consequences.