Arthropathy associated with anti-Jo-1 antibody

Anti-Jo-1 antibody is associated with an overlap syndrome usually described as the association of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy, pulmonary fibrosis and polyarthritis. We report three observations illustrating different aspects of arthropathy associated with anti-Jo-1 antibody. Two patients presented with a deforming and erosive arthritis affecting the hands, periarticular calcifications and dislocation of the interphalangeal (IP) joint of the thumb. The third patient, who had a short disease course, presented only with a mild non-erosive polyarthritis of both hands, metacarpophalangeal joint narrowing and periarticular calcifications. All the patients had interstitial pulmonary syndrome. Only two of them had myositis. An arthropathy characterized by erosive arthritis of the fingers, with dislocation of the IP joint of the thumb and periarticular calcifications, seems to be specifically associated with anti-Jo-1 antibody. Joint Bone Spine 2001 ; 68 : 166-9. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.