A patient with hemochromatosis may develop an arthritis that can mimic rheumatoid arthritis. The presence of arthritis is also predictive of advanced hepatic fibrosis.
Patient selection: hemochromatosis
Pathogenesis: iron deposition in joint soft tissue
Clinical pearls:
(1) The arthritis may mimic rheumatoid arthritis and should be in the differential diagnosis of RF-negative arthritis.
(2) The presence of concurrent disease (gout, hepatitis C) may cause diagnostic challenges.
(3) The presence of arthritis is associated with advanced hepatic fibrosis. The absence of arthritis predicts a low likelihood of advanced hepatic fibrosis.
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