The Difference Between Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
Updated on September 03, 2024
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Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis primarily exhibit symptoms related to the joints. Mainly affected are the symmetrical small joints of both hands, including both wrists, both palmar digital joints, and both proximal interphalangeal joints. In addition, patients with rheumatoid arthritis often have elevated rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP antibodies, and AKA antibodies. During the acute phase of joint disease, there is a marked increase in inflammatory markers, which is a major manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis. Patients with rheumatic fever, aside from joint pain, may also have heart valve disorders, such as mitral stenosis, and some patients may develop skin lesions, commonly erythema nodosum. Most importantly, patients with rheumatic conditions often show a significant increase in anti-streptolysin O.

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Written by Liu Li Ning
Rheumatology
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How to quickly relieve rheumatic fever pain?

Rheumatic fever pain can be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for rapid pain relief. NSAIDs are the first-line medications for treating rheumatic fever pain. Commonly used ones include diclofenac sodium sustained-release capsules, etoricoxib, meloxicam, or etodolac. These medications may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, so they cannot be used by patients with active peptic ulcers. If there are contraindications to using NSAIDs, pain relief can be achieved with medications such as tramadol or Aconitum alkaloid tablets. If rheumatic fever is accompanied by carditis, treatment with corticosteroids is also necessary. Since the onset of rheumatic fever is related to streptococcal infections, the use of penicillin antibiotics for anti-infection treatment is also recommended.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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How to treat rheumatic fever arthritis?

Rheumatic fever joint pain initially can be treated with anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications. The most commonly used are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as slow-release diclofenac sodium tablets. Since rheumatic fever is triggered by a streptococcal infection, if the streptococcus is not controlled, joint pain may reoccur. Therefore, fundamentally, an adequate course of anti-infection treatment is also needed. In the acute phase of rheumatic fever, antibiotics such as penicillin or second-generation cephalosporins can be used for a 10-14 day treatment. Subsequently, treatment may require sequential benzathine penicillin for possibly up to six months or more than a year. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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Is the rheumatoid factor high in rheumatic fever?

Patients with rheumatic fever often do not have elevated rheumatoid factor levels, as rheumatic fever primarily follows a streptococcal infection. There is typically an increase in anti-streptolysin O antibodies, while rheumatoid factors are often negative. In addition to elevated anti-streptolysin O, patients with rheumatic fever may also experience valvular heart disease, most commonly mitral stenosis. Some patients may present with skin erythema and symptoms similar to chorea, which leads us to consider the possibility of rheumatic fever. The treatment of rheumatic fever primarily involves regular antibiotic therapy and continued administration of intramuscular benzathine penicillin for a period of time. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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Symptoms and Treatment of Rheumatic Fever

Patients with rheumatism often experience symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections in the early stages of the disease, such as fever and sore throat. Additionally, patients with rheumatism commonly exhibit migratory joint pain, primarily characterized by acute onset of redness, swelling, heat, pain, and limited mobility in the joints, but these can improve on their own. Patients with rheumatic fever often also suffer from carditis, which can include valvulitis, myocarditis, and pericarditis, with damage to the valves being the most common. Rheumatic fever may also present with ring-shaped erythema on the skin or subcutaneous nodules, and it can include chorea. The most common treatment for rheumatic fever is the intramuscular injection of penicillin. (Specific medication use should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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Difference between Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatoid Arthritis

The key difference between rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis primarily lies in the fact that patients with rheumatic fever, besides exhibiting symptoms such as joint pain, also develop cardiac and dermatological manifestations. Patients with rheumatic fever may experience mitral stenosis and symptoms like erythema on the skin. Moreover, the examination of antibodies in rheumatic fever patients mainly shows an elevation in anti-streptolysin O antibody. In contrast, patients with rheumatoid arthritis typically display elevated rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP antibodies, and anti-AKA antibodies, and they seldom have skin or cardiac manifestations. Therefore, to differentiate rheumatic fever from rheumatoid arthritis, one can test for anti-streptolysin O and rheumatoid factor, and further conduct an echocardiogram to determine any cardiac involvement.