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Rheumatoid Arthritis Extra-articular Signs
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Rheumatoid Arthritis Extra-articular Signs
See Also
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis
Rheumatoid Arthritis Articular Signs
Felty's Syndrome
Rheumatoid Arthritis Management
Rheumatoid Arthritis Antiinflammatory Medications
Rheumatoid Arthritis Remittive Agents
Epidemiology
Extra-articular findings in 20-40% of
Rheumatoid Arthritis
patients
Risk Factors
Extra-articular RA findings
Male Gender
Seropositive (RF, ACPA, ANA)
Tobacco Abuse
Findings
Common Extra-Articular
Rheumatoid
Nodule
s
Profound
Fatigue
Low-grade fever
Weight loss
Normochromic
Normocytic Anemia
Findings
Other Extra-Articular
Cardiovascular
Accelerated
Coronary Artery Disease
(leading cause of death in RA)
Pericarditis
Pericardial Effusion
Rheumatoid
Nodule
s in
Great Vessel
or
Myocardium
wall
Causes
Heart Block
and
Bundle Branch Block
Systemic
Vasculitis
Lung
Pulmonary Nodule
s
Pleural Effusion
(very low
Pleural Fluid
Glucose
)
Caplan Syndrome (
Lung Nodule
s, pneumoconiosis)
Interstitial Lung Disease
Ophthalmologic manifestations
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca
(common)
Episcleritis
or
Scleritis
Peripheral Ulcerative
Keratitis
Scleromalacia
Neurologic manifestations
Rheumatoid
Granuloma
ta near nerve roots
Neuropathy
(e.g.
Carpal Tunnel
, mononeuritis multiplex)
Cervical Spine
involvement (up to 80% of patients)
Cervical Spine
subluxation at C1-2 (up to 25 to 40% of patients)
Risk of secondary
Cervical Myelopathy
from central spinal stenosis
Results from
Rheumatoid Arthritis
erosions and inflammation
Affects odontoid process, transverse ligament, alar ligament, C1 lateral mass
References
Shlobin (2021) Neurosurg Rev 44(4): 1957-65 [PubMed]
Hoarseness
(extreme and progressive)
Rheumatoid changes in laryngeal cricoarytenoid joints
Felty Syndrome
References
Wasserman (2018) Am Fam Physician 97(7): 455-62 [PubMed]
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