Felty's syndrome

Definition:

A disorder characterized by rheumatoid arthritis, an enlarged spleen, a decreased white blood cell count, and recurrent infection.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The cause of Felty's syndrome is unknown. It is a variant of rheumatoid arthritis and is common in people who have had rheumatoid arthritis for a long time. People with this syndrome suffer from an increased incidence of infection associated with the low white blood cell count.