Which patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis are most likely to get extraarticular manifestations?
Patients who are RF- or ACPA-positive (dual-positivity may pose a higher risk), HLA-DR4-positive, and males are more likely to have extraarticular manifestations. It is important for clinicians to rule out other causes, such as infection, malignancy, and medications, for an extraarticular manifestation before ascribing it to RA, especially if the patient is RF-negative. While ACPAs are strongly associated with disease severity and joint erosions in RA, it is not as strongly associated with extraarticular manifestations.
