Evaluation of Suspected Rheumatologic Conditions

Overview

A patient who presents with multiple joint complaints may have an underlying inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis or a noninflammatory condition like fibromyalgia. She may also have early lupus or other connective tissue diseases. This lecture guides you through an evaluation of the clinical, laboratory and imaging features to secure a correct diagnosis.

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the importance of pathophysiology in understanding rheumatic disease – target tissue and characteristic joint distribution
• Distinguish inflammatory from non-articular (soft-tissue) rheumatic conditions
• Recognize the role of laboratory and imaging studies in the rheumatologic diagnosis
• Identify the features that distinguish lupus and related connective tissue diseases