Differences in clinical features of Reactive Arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
A comparison of the clinical features of ReA with rheumatoid arthritis is elaborated in the below table
A Comparison of the Clinical Features of Reactive Arthritis with Rheumatoid Arthritis
| Feature | Reactive Arthritis | Rheumatoid Arthritis |
|---|---|---|
| Sex ratio | Male > female | Female > male |
| Age | 20–40 years | All ages (most frequently: women aged 40–60 years, men older) |
| Arthritis | Oligoarticular | Polyarticular |
| Large joints (asymmetric) | MCP, PIP, wrist, MTP (symmetric) | |
| Enthesitis | Yes | No |
| Spondylitis | Yes | No |
| Ocular disease | Conjunctivitis, uveitis | Keratitis, scleromalacia, sicca, scleritis |
| Lung disease | No | Yes |
| Urethritis | Yes | No |
| Cutaneous lesions | Keratoderma, balanitis | Subcutaneous nodules, vasculitis |
| Rheumatoid factor positive | No | Yes (85%) |
| HLA association | HLA-B27 (80% of white males) | HLA-DR4 (70%) |
HLA , human leukocyte antigen; MCP , metacarpophalangeal; MTP , metatarsophalangeal; PIP , proximal interphalangeal.
