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Weissman S, Alsheikh M, Kamar K, et al. Non-insidious Large Joint Manifestation of Severe Cachectic Rheumatoid Arthritis. Cureus. 2018;10(9):e3266doi: 10.7759/cureus.3266.
Weissman, S., Alsheikh, M., Kamar, K., Breslin, J., Khabut, A., & Maruf, M. G. (2018). Non-insidious Large Joint Manifestation of Severe Cachectic Rheumatoid Arthritis. Cureus, 10(9), e3266. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.3266
Weissman, Simcha, et al. "Non-insidious Large Joint Manifestation of Severe Cachectic Rheumatoid Arthritis." Cureus vol. 10,9 (2018): e3266. doi: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.3266
Weissman S, Alsheikh M, Kamar K, Breslin J, Khabut A, Maruf MG. Non-insidious Large Joint Manifestation of Severe Cachectic Rheumatoid Arthritis. Cureus. 2018 Sep 07;10(9):e3266. doi: 10.7759/cureus.3266. PMID: 30430055; PMCID: PMC6221515.
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Cureus. 2018 Sep 07;10(9):e3266. doi: 10.7759/cureus.3266.

Non-insidious Large Joint Manifestation of Severe Cachectic Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Cureus

Simcha Weissman, Mira Alsheikh, Khalil Kamar, Joshua Breslin, Anthony Khabut, Mohammad G Maruf

Affiliations

  1. Medical Student, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, USA.
  2. Internal Medicine Resident, Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell Health, Staten Island, USA.
  3. Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, USA.
  4. Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital, Roslyn, USA.

PMID: 30430055 PMCID: PMC6221515 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.3266

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder in which constitutional symptoms typically occur before joint swelling becomes a true clinical phenomenon. Weight loss, although common, is generally mild in nature and occurs after long standing inflammation. While large joints do become inflamed, RA has a much stronger predilection for the small joints. Our case is a rarity in the fact that there was initial large joint swelling without long standing inflammation. Additionally, the weight loss was cachectic in nature and extreme. Furthermore, while extra-articular manifestations do commonly occur, spontaneous pneumothorax is certainly atypical. The content of this manuscript serves to enlighten hospitalist physicians and residents, as to the odd way in which a case like this may present.

Keywords: arthocentesis; cachexia; pneumothorax; rheumatoid arthritis

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

References

  1. Int J Cardiol. 2002 Sep;85(1):89-99 - PubMed
  2. Arthritis Rheum. 1989 Jan;32(1):15-21 - PubMed
  3. Am J Med Sci. 1994 Sep;308(3):171-2 - PubMed

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