We read with interest the paper by Cantiniet al and would like to comment on it.1

In 1992 we performed a retrospective multicentre study of 27 RS3PE patients. We concluded that personal history of polymyalgia rheumatica (two patients), presence of erosions (one patient) and evolution to haematological diseases (two patients concomitantly developed a T lymphoma and one a myelodiplastic syndrome) suggested that RS3PE syndrome might not be a distinct clinical entity. At that moment 12 patients were asymtomatic and 12 required treatment. This was reported elsewhere.2

Now, six years later, we have reviewed the original cohort of patients with the RS3PE syndrome. A questionnaire was sent to the participating rheumatologists. The survey focused on articular symtoms, treatment and evolution. The current cohort was composed of 22 patients (male 16; female 6; mean age:77.9; range 64–91). Four patients died (the three with haematological diseases, one stroke) and …

Dr F Cantini, 2nd Divisione di Medicina, Ospedale di Prato, Piazza Ospedale 1, 59100 Prato, Italy.