Arthritis

Differential Diagnosis by Number of Affected Joints

Monoarticular arthritis

Algorithm for Monoarticular arthralgia

• Acute osteoarthritis
• Avascular necrosis
• Crystal-induced (Gout, Pseudogout)
• Gonococcal arthritis, arthritis-dermatitis syndrome
• Nongonococcal septic arthritis
• Lyme disease
• Malignancy (metastases, osteochondroma, osteoid osteoma)
• Reactive poststreptococcal arthritis
• Trauma-induced arthritis
  • Fracture
  • Ligamentous injury
  • Overuse
• Avascular necrosis
• Decompression sickness
• Spontaneous osteonecrosis
• Hemorrhagic (e.g. hemophilia, systemic anticoagulation
• Seronegative spondyloarthropathies (ankylosing spondylitis, IBD, psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis
• RA, SLE
• Sarcoidosis, amyloidosis
• Periarticular pathology
  • Cellulitis
  • Tendonitis
  • Bursitis
• Transient (Toxic) Synovitis (Hip)
• Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE)
• Legg Calve Perthes Disease

Oligoarthritis

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Gonococcal arthritis
• Lyme disease
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive arthritis
• Rheumatic fever
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Systemic lupus erythematosus

Polyarthritis

Algorithm for Polyarticular arthralgia

• Fibromyalgia
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Lyme disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive poststreptococcal arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rheumatic fever
• Serum sickness
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Serum sickness–like reactions
• Viral arthritis

Differential Diagnosis for Migratory Pattern

• Gonococcal arthritis
• Acute Rheumatic Fever
• Lyme Disease
• Viral arthritis
• SLE

See Also

• Arthrocentesis
• Diagnosis by Body Part (Main)