Erosive rheumatoid arthritis co-existing with systemic lupus erythematosus. A report of a case, also showing atlanto-axial subluxation.

A 28-year old female is described with a 12-year history of seropositive, erosive rheumatoid arthritis. Subsequently, she developed systemic lupus erythematosus diagnosed both serologically and on renal biopsy. As has previously been emphasised, these two diseases occur rarely in the same patient. HLA typing revealed the patient was HLA - B8 positive and that she had inherited this genetic marker from her mother who is Irish, rather than from her West Indian father. The patient has developed marked atlanto-axial subluxation, a feature not noted in six patients previously described as having both diseases.