Rheumatoid pleuritis

Three patients are described in whom pleural effusion appeared to be a manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis. In each, needle biopsy demonstrated granulomatous pleural lesions resembling the subcutaneous rheumatoid nodule while extensive studies failed to reveal any evidence of infection or neoplasm. The presence of extremely low fluid sugar concentration is regarded as strongly suggestive of rheumatoid pleuritis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/37691/1/1780050404_ftp.pd