Chronic nondestructive arthritis associated with cutaneous polyarteritis.

Two patients with arthritis of the knee joints associated with cutaneous polyarteritis have been followed for 20 and 5 years. The arthritis is characterized by mild to moderate pain and stiffness and inflammatory joint effusions with predominantly polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Despite its chronicity, there has been no clinical or radiologic evidence of joint destruction. Necrotizing inflammation was seen in arteries of the deep skin but not in the small vessels observed in the synovial biopsy specimens.