Femoral fracture mimicking acute arthritis in Down's syndrome. 1993

R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.

We describe a 38-year-old white woman with Down's syndrome with a history of chronic arthritis and hyperuricemia who presented with acute left knee pain, patellar tenderness and patello-femoral instability. Findings appeared due to a fracture of the lateral femoral condyle, which responded to conservative therapy with a spica cast. Patellofemoral instability in Down's syndrome can be associated with significant morbidity including femoral condyle fracture. Patients with Down's syndrome who present with acute knee arthritis responding poorly to antiinflammatory agents and other conventional therapy should be assessed for fractures related to patellar dislocation, as treatments for the 2 disorders differ.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007719 Knee Joint A synovial hinge connection formed between the bones of the FEMUR; TIBIA; and PATELLA. Superior Tibiofibular Joint,Joint, Knee,Joint, Superior Tibiofibular,Knee Joints,Superior Tibiofibular Joints,Tibiofibular Joint, Superior
D009017 Morbidity The proportion of patients with a particular disease during a given year per given unit of population. Morbidities
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D004314 Down Syndrome A chromosome disorder associated either with an extra CHROMOSOME 21 or an effective TRISOMY for chromosome 21. Clinical manifestations include HYPOTONIA, short stature, BRACHYCEPHALY, upslanting palpebral fissures, epicanthus, Brushfield spots on the iris, protruding tongue, small ears, short, broad hands, fifth finger clinodactyly, single transverse palmar crease, and moderate to severe INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY. Cardiac and gastrointestinal malformations, a marked increase in the incidence of LEUKEMIA, and the early onset of ALZHEIMER DISEASE are also associated with this condition. Pathologic features include the development of NEUROFIBRILLARY TANGLES in neurons and the deposition of AMYLOID BETA-PROTEIN, similar to the pathology of ALZHEIMER DISEASE. (Menkes, Textbook of Child Neurology, 5th ed, p213) Mongolism,Trisomy 21,47,XX,+21,47,XY,+21,Down Syndrome, Partial Trisomy 21,Down's Syndrome,Partial Trisomy 21 Down Syndrome,Trisomy 21, Meiotic Nondisjunction,Trisomy 21, Mitotic Nondisjunction,Trisomy G,Downs Syndrome,Syndrome, Down,Syndrome, Down's
D005260 Female Females
D005264 Femoral Fractures Fractures of the femur. Femoral Fracture,Fracture, Femoral,Fractures, Femoral
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000208 Acute Disease Disease having a short and relatively severe course. Acute Diseases,Disease, Acute,Diseases, Acute
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001168 Arthritis Acute or chronic inflammation of JOINTS. Oligoarthritis,Polyarthritis,Arthritides,Oligoarthritides,Polyarthritides

Related Publications

R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
December 1984, The British journal of radiology,
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
March 1988, Annals of the rheumatic diseases,
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
May 1995, American journal of orthopedics (Belle Mead, N.J.),
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
January 1989, Southern medical journal,
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
September 1990, New York state journal of medicine,
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
January 1986, The New England journal of medicine,
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
December 1976, The New England journal of medicine,
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
January 1990, Indian pediatrics,
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
January 2007, Modern rheumatology,
R Ferrari, and I L Dwosh, and P V Fenton
January 1973, Lancet (London, England),
Copied contents to your clipboard!