research Juvenile RHUPUS Syndrome: A Case Report
Juvenile RHUPUS syndrome, a rare overlap of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in children, is underdiagnosed and not well understood. This case report describes an 11-year-old girl with polyarthritis deformans, profound asthenia, recurrent oral aphtosis, and massive hair loss. Diagnostic criteria for SLE and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) were met, with positive rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and anti-Sm antibodies. She was treated with methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine. The case highlights the importance of considering RHUPUS in pediatric patients with deforming arthropathy, despite its rarity.
