Reactive arthritis following BCG immunotherapy for bladder carcinoma

Clin Rheumatol. 2005 Aug;24(4):425-7. doi: 10.1007/s10067-004-1063-8. Epub 2005 Jan 20.

Abstract

Intravesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is used in the treatment of patients with intermediate and high-risk superficial bladder carcinoma with efficacy and safety. The vast majority of patients do not present any side effects and only 5% of patients have mild and short-lived clinical manifestations such as malaise, low-grade fever, cystitis, and hematuria. Arthralgia and/or arthritis is one of the rare severe complications following intravesical BCG immunotherapy. We report here the case of a patient with reactive arthritis successfully treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) after the discontinuation of BCG immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intravesical
  • Aged
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis, Reactive / drug therapy*
  • Arthritis, Reactive / etiology*
  • Arthritis, Reactive / physiopathology
  • BCG Vaccine / adverse effects*
  • BCG Vaccine / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / therapy*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / adverse effects
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Risk Assessment
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / pathology
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / therapy*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • BCG Vaccine