Which symptom is commonly associated with reactive arthritis?

Enhance your knowledge with the Internal Medicine End of Rotation Exam. Challenge yourself with multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations to ensure you excel.

Reactive arthritis is characterized by a combination of symptoms that can vary among individuals, but it typically manifests after an infection and is often associated with the following key symptoms.

Joint swelling and tenderness are hallmark features of reactive arthritis. The condition often arises following a genitourinary or gastrointestinal infection, such as with Chlamydia or Salmonella, leading to inflammation in the joints. This inflammation can result in significant pain and swelling, particularly in the lower extremities.

Fever and rash can also be present in reactive arthritis, although they are not as prominent as joint symptoms. Fever may occur as a response to the underlying infection that precipitates the condition, and the rash may occur as part of the systemic reaction to the infection or the subsequent immune response.

Heel pain is notably associated with reactive arthritis as well. Many patients experience enthesitis, which is inflammation at the sites where tendons or ligaments insert into bone. This often leads to pain in the heel or the Achilles tendon area.

Considering these points, it is clear that all indicated symptoms—joint swelling and tenderness, fever and rash, and heel pain—can manifest in the context of reactive arthritis, confirming that the correct answer encompasses all these common presentations.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy