Panniculitis: an unusual cutaneous manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis

Specific and nonspecific panniculitis may occur during the course of connective tissue diseases. However, association of panniculitis and rheumatoid arthritis has only rarely been described, and with so few reports, it is difficult to know the significance of this unusual association. We describe 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and features of Sjogren syndrome in whom panniculitis developed during the course of the disease. Histologic confirmation of septal panniculitis was established in one case and the panniculitis in this case improved as the arthritis resolved.