What is Rheumatoid arthritis?
An Atypical Presentation of Seronegative Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints, causing inflammation, pain, stiffness, & joint damage.
Seronegative RA is a type of RA that does not show the presence of rheumatoid factor or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies, which are commonly used markers for diagnosing RA.
An atypical presentation of seronegative RA may include Joint involvement: Although RA most commonly affects the small joints of the hands & feet, seronegative RA can also affect larger joints such as the knees, hips, shoulders, & elbows.
Inflammatory markers: Inflammation markers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) & C-reactive protein (CRP) may be normal or only mildly elevated in seronegative RA.
However, this does not rule out the presence of Reimaging findings: X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or ultrasound may show joint damage & inflammation.
Even in the absence of positive blood tests for Riestra-articular symptoms: Seronegative RA can also cause extra-articular symptoms such as fatigue, fever, weight loss, & nodules.
Delayed diagnosis: Due to the absence of positive blood tests, diagnosis of seronegative RA may be delayed, leading to more severe joint damage.
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