Rheumatoid arthritis
(Redirected from RA)
Background
- Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It is an erosive polyarthritis that causes auto-antibodies direct against an individual's own joints and joint spaces.
Clinical Features
Multiple swan neck deformities from poorly controlled rheumatoid arthritis
- Morning stiffness
- Polyarthritis of MCP and PIP joints
- Does NOT involve DIP joints
- Wrists, elbows, shoulders, ankles, knees also commonly involved
- Ulnar deviation at MTP joints
- Swan neck deformity
- Rheumatoid nodules
- Most patients initially diagnosed in the early 50s
- Common associated conditions in severe cases: pleuritis, interstitial lung disease, pericarditis, inflammatory eye disease
Differential Diagnosis
Polyarthritis
- 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
Oligoarthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Gonococcal arthritis
- Lyme disease
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Reactive arthritis
- Rheumatic fever
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
Migratory Arthritis
- Gonococcal arthritis
- Lyme disease
- Rheumatic fever
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Viral arthritis
Evaluation
- Xray affected joints for erosions
- Rheumatoid factor (positive in 60% to 70% of patients)
- Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies (positive in about 70% of patients)
- ANA
- Consider arthrocentesis
- WBC count typically 1,500-20,000
Management
- NSAIDs
- Symptomatic relief without slowing underlying disease
- Glucocorticoids
- Consider intraarticular injection if a single joint is inflammed
- Systemic steroids reserved for moderate-severe flairs
- Opioids have a limited role
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)
- Can be started by primary care provider or rheumatologist after ER visit
Disposition
- Discharge with referral to PCP or rheumatology