Rheumatoid arthritis physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Manpreet Kaur, MD [2]

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis usually appear fatigued. On skin examination, rheumatoid nodules, erythema nodosum, atrophy of the digital skin, palmar erythema, and diffuse thinning of the skin may be found. If there is involvement of the eyes, scleritis and scleromalacia may be seen. On auscultation of lungs, decreased breath sounds on both sides and crackles may be observed. On palpation of the abdomen, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly is usually found when it is associated with Felty’s syndrome. On examination of extremities, redness, and swelling of the affected joints, tenderness, pain on movement and decreased the range of movement is usually found.

• Patients with rheumatoid arthritis usually appear fatigued.

• Low-grade fever

• Rheumatoid nodule found over bony prominences, such as the olecranon, the calcaneal tuberosity, the metacarpophalangeal joints, or other areas that sustain repeated mechanical stress ^{[1] [2]}
• Erythema nodosum
• Atrophy of digital skin
• Palmar erythema
• Diffuse thinning (rice paper skin), and of
• Beading on the nails

• Dry eyes
• Scleritis
• Scleromalacia

On Auscultation of lungs:

• Decreased breath sounds on both sides.
• Crackles may be present.

• On palpation:
  • Hepatomegaly
  • Splenomegaly

• On inspection redness and swelling of the affected joints.
• On palpation:
  • Tenderness
  • Pain on movement
  • Decreased range of movement

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