Emergency Medicine Reports – November 16, 2014
November 16, 2014
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Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Emergency Physician’s Perspective
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic polyarticular form of inflammatory arthritis of unclear etiology. It primarily involves the synovial joints and is commonly symmetric. Joint pain and swelling are most commonly seen in patients with this condition. The presence of autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), which the anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) falls under, are found in the majority of patients. Left untreated, there is a high risk of significant deformity and disability.