DOI: 10.36347/sjmcr.2021.v09i01.006

Pages: 23-26

Schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis are chronic conditions that seem to have little in common. Their association is very rarely reported. However, different studies have shown a common genetic ground for these two diseases at the origin of a reduced risk of occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis in schizophrenic patients and vice versa. We report the exceptional case of a 35-year-old woman followed , over a period of seven years, for seropositive rheumatoid arthritis complicated by joint deformities and pulmonary involvement. The patient has been on corticosteroids and Plaquenil for 7 years. The patient presented behavioral disturbances with delusional seizures two years ago and received neuroleptic medication. The patient was admitted for marked clinical deterioration, joint deformities and stiffness, pressure ulcers in the sacral region and bilateral pleurisy. We also note the presence of behavioral disorders requiring a psychiatric view which noted the presence of a dissociative syndrome associated with an autistic syndrome and a delusional syndrome. Blood tests showed an important biological inflammatory syndrome. Autoantibodies for other autoimmune diseases were negative. Viral and bacterial serologies were negative. Brain MRI was normal. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was established and treatment with neuroleptic was started. Currently, the patient has a problem with managing her RA due to poor adherence to her treatment, the existence of serious complications and the absence of active communication.