Septic arthritis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
2008

Septic Arthritis in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Al-Ahaideb Abdulaziz

Primary Institution: College of medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Hypothesis

The study explores the increased susceptibility of rheumatoid arthritis patients to septic arthritis.

Conclusion

Septic arthritis is difficult to diagnose in rheumatoid arthritis patients, often leading to worse outcomes.

Supporting Evidence

  • Septic arthritis in rheumatoid patients often has a delayed diagnosis.
  • Mortality in rheumatic patients with polyarticular septic arthritis can be as high as 50%.
  • Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have a recurrence of disease compared to those without.

Takeaway

People with rheumatoid arthritis can get a serious joint infection called septic arthritis, and it's hard to spot early, which can make things worse.

Methodology

This is a review article discussing the diagnosis and management of septic arthritis in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to reliance on existing literature and case reports.

Limitations

The review is based on previously published cases and lacks new prospective studies.

Participant Demographics

The average age of rheumatoid patients who developed polyarticular septic arthritis was 62 years, with a higher risk in males.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1749-799X-3-33

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