In rheumatoid arthritis, which joint is commonly affected among the following?

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Multiple Choice

In rheumatoid arthritis, which joint is commonly affected among the following?

The pattern of joint involvement in rheumatoid arthritis is what’s being tested. RA is an autoimmune inflammatory arthritis that commonly targets synovial joints of the hands and wrists in a symmetric fashion. Among the options, the metacarpophalangeal joints are classically affected early and most characteristically. Patients often have swelling, tenderness, and morning stiffness at the MCP joints, and these joints are frequently involved before others. Distal interphalangeal joints are typically spared in RA and are more often affected by osteoarthritis, while the wrist is commonly involved but the MCP joints best reflect the classic RA pattern. Proximal interphalangeal joints can be involved, but MCP involvement remains the hallmark among these choices.

The pattern of joint involvement in rheumatoid arthritis is what’s being tested. RA is an autoimmune inflammatory arthritis that commonly targets synovial joints of the hands and wrists in a symmetric fashion. Among the options, the metacarpophalangeal joints are classically affected early and most characteristically. Patients often have swelling, tenderness, and morning stiffness at the MCP joints, and these joints are frequently involved before others. Distal interphalangeal joints are typically spared in RA and are more often affected by osteoarthritis, while the wrist is commonly involved but the MCP joints best reflect the classic RA pattern. Proximal interphalangeal joints can be involved, but MCP involvement remains the hallmark among these choices.

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