Search

Vasculitis is relatively uncommon in lymphoproliferative disease and may predate the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disease. Many vasculitides have been associated with hairy cell leukemia ( HCL), including polyarteritis nodosa ( PAN) and leukocytoclastic vasculitis. We herein report a case whose initial presentation was like Behçet's disease ( BD) (arthritis, oral and genital ulcerations, papulopustular skin lesions) in addition to pancytopenia, but turned out to have HCL. Because of the overlap between their symptoms, like oral ulcerations, skin lesions, arthritis and constitutional findings, HCL and BD may mimic each other. We should keep in mind other reasons for vasculitis such as lymphoproliferative disease, especially whose who have hematological abnormalities such as pancytopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease that is 10 times more prevalent in women, particularly those of reproductive age. The varying effects of pregnancy on SLE and the differences between available SLE treatments make pregnancy timing and contraceptive methods significant. We aimed to determine the contraceptive methods used by SLE patients in the north-west part of Turkey, and compared them with those used by rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) patients and healthy controls. Method The study was comprised of 113 SLE patients, and 84 RA patients at the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic of Uludag University Medical Faculty. Results Twenty-three (20.3%) out of 113 SLE patients, 18 (21.4%) out of 84 RA patients and 17 (18.6%) out of 92 healthy controls did not use any contraceptive methods. Use of the withdrawal and condom methods was more common among SLE patients, accounting for 61% (withdrawal 32.7%, condom 28.3%). Moreover, 52% of SLE and 50% of RA patients were neither given information about contraceptive methods nor offered a suggested method, compared to 34% in the health control group. Conclusions The prevalence of oral contraceptive use is low in Turkey; notwithstanding the withdrawal and condom methods, which are frequently used despite their high failure risk. Although pregnancy timing is of great importance for SLE patients, necessary information and recommendations concerning contraceptive methods have been ignored and the use of effective methods is not a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]