Abstract
Endovesical administration of BCG is currently considered the most effective therapy and prophylaxis for bladder carcinoma in situ. Arthritis has been noted during this therapy, due to an immunitary type reaction rather than a localisation of the mycobacterium. We report the case of acute arthritis in a 52-year-old man undergoing endovesical treatment with BCG for multiple superficial carcinoma of the bladder, who presented a typical picture of spondyloarthritis. The positivity of the HLA-B27 histocompatibility of the antigen in the patient suggests that also with arthritis during BCG therapy, this antigen confers susceptibility at the onset of a spondyloarthritis, rather than other articular clinical pictures.
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