Does rheumatoid arthritis affect distal interphalangeal joints?

Does rheumatoid arthritis affect distal interphalangeal joints?

Background/Purpose: Distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint arthropathy is characteristic of both psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis, but it has long been pointed out that DIP joints can also be affected in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since the report by McCarty et al. (Arthritis Rheum 9(2):325,1966).

Which joints are spared in rheumatoid arthritis?

The most commonly involved hand joints in RA are the MCP and PIP joints. The DIP joints are usually spared. Wrist joint involvement is also very common.

What is the gold standard for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis?

Radiographic imaging: the ‘gold standard’ for assessment of disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis.

How is rheumatoid arthritis assessed?

Measures used to assess patient status in RA include laboratory tests, radiographs, formal joint assessments, physical measures of functional status, global measures, and patient self-report questionnaires.

Which joints are not affected by RA?

The shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles are also affected in many patients. The distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints are generally spared. With the exception of the cervical spine, the spine is unaffected.

What is Caplan syndrome?

Rheumatoid pneumoconiosis (RP, also known as Caplan syndrome) is swelling (inflammation) and scarring of the lungs. It occurs in people with rheumatoid arthritis who have breathed in dust, such as from coal (coal worker’s pneumoconiosis) or silica.

Which joints are most commonly affected by rheumatoid arthritis?

Key Points about Rheumatoid Arthritis The joints most often affected by RA are in the hands, wrists, feet, ankles, knees, shoulders, and elbows. Symptoms may include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling; decreased and painful movement; bumps over small joints; and fatigue or fever.

What is distal interphalangeal?

The distal interphalangeal joint connects the bones at the tips of the fingers. Many people with arthritis experience pain at this location. People who experience distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint pain may also experience other symptoms, depending on which type of arthritis they have.

What is the name of diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis?

A patient was classified as having RA if at least four of these seven criteria were satisfied; four of the criteria must have been present for at least six weeks: morning stiffness, arthritis of three or more joint areas, arthritis of the hands, and symmetric arthritis.

When do you refer to Rheumatology for rheumatoid arthritis?

Clinical and radiographic outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis patients not treated with disease-modifying drugs. Arthritis Rheum1998;41:1190–5.

What other signs of RA do you need to assess for when performing her assessment?

During the physical examination, it is important to assess the following:

• Stiffness.
• Tenderness.
• Pain on motion.
• Swelling.
• Deformity.
• Limitation of motion.
• Extra-articular manifestations.
• Rheumatoid nodules.

Which assessment should be included in physical exam for rheumatoid arthritis?

During the physical examination, it is important to assess the following: Stiffness. Tenderness. Pain on motion.

Is the spine affected by distal interphalangeal joint replacement?

The distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints are generally spared. With the exception of the cervical spine, the spine is unaffected .” See the whole report at the link above for a more complete answer.

What is the pathophysiology of distal interphalangeal (DIP) syndrome?

The distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints are generally spared. With the exception of the cervical spine, the spine is unaffected. Nonspecific systemic symptoms primarily fatigue, malaise, and depression, may commonly precede other symptoms of the disease by weeks to months and be indicators of ongoing disease activity.

What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

You are also likely to experience symptoms in the the joints between your wrist and forearms and the middle knuckles in your fingers. The outermost joints (the distal interphalangeal joints) are the least likely to be affected by RA. Usually, people will not start feeling pain there until the joints further down the hand have been affected.

How common are dip erosions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

However, joint space narrowing occurred more frequently in RA patients (77\%) than in the controls (46\%) (P less than 0.009). The findings from this study suggest that in RA patients, DIP erosions occur frequently, do not occur in isolation, and are not simply a marker for severe global erosive disease in the hand and wrist.