QuestionSBA
QuestionChoice
This patient has symptoms typical of rheumatoid arthritis, including swollen joints in the hands, and pain and stiffness that is worst in the morning but improves after roughly an hour. The pain in the morning is what differentiates this from osteoarthritis, as in osteoarthritis, the pain will be longer than 1 hour and might get worse throughout the day.
10023585
a
Rheumatoid arthritis
QuestionChoice
As this patient has reported no fevers or recent infections, it is more likely that she has rheumatoid or osteoarthritis. Septic arthritis typically causes a single hot swollen joint, rather than multiple swollen cool joints.
10023587
c
Septic arthritis
QuestionChoice
Fracturing all of the left proximal interphalangeal joints is very unlikely and would result in an inability to move one's hands and fingers. There has been no history of trauma in this patient as well.
10023589
e
Proximal interphalangeal joint fractures
QuestionChoice
Gout usually affects the first metatarsophalangeal joint (big toe joint) and is usually very sudden in onset. This patient's pain has been over months so it is unlikely to be gout. Gout is caused by the crystallisation of uric acid within the synovial space.
10023588
d
Gout
QuestionChoice
Osteoarthritis has similar symptoms such as swollen hands, but the morning stiffness usually lasts for longer than an hour. The joints usually affected are the distal interphalangeal joints, not the proximal interphalangeal joints.
10023586
b
Osteoarthritis
Concept
Chapter
2693
3975
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Topic
146
Rheumatology
17115
A 53-year-old female presents to the GP with a 3-month history of swelling in her left hand and legs. She says that the pain and stiffness last for an hour in the morning and that she also has difficulty opening jars. She reports no fevers or recent infections. There has been no trauma to those areas either.

On examination, the proximal interphalangeal joints on her left hand are swollen but they are not hot to touch.

What is the cause of this patient's swollen hands?
a