CKS is no longer commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE remains committed to providing a replacement service for CKS and is currently reviewing its options. In the meantime, although CKS content is now not being maintained, it still remains relevant and will continue to be made available. CKS content was generated under a programme of topic creation and update. To check if the topic you are viewing is current or out of date, please refer to the topic publication details by clicking on the 'How up-to-date is this topic?' link in the left hand menu on individual topic pages.
Rheumatoid arthritis - Management
What other conditions cause synovitis?
- Other conditions that may cause synovitis include:
- Septic arthritis — suspect this if a single joint is hot and swollen, especially if there are signs of sepsis (such as fever).
- Viral arthritis — suspect this if the person has an ongoing infection (such as hepatitis, rubella, parvovirus).
- Reactive arthritis — suspect this if the person has recently had a sore throat, gastroenteritis, or sexually transmitted infection.
- Seronegative spondyloarthritis — suspect this if there is a history of psoriasis, back pain, or bowel problems.
- Polymyalgia rheumatica — suspect this if the main symptoms are shoulder pain and stiffness.
- Polyarticular gout — suspect this if the person has risk factors for gout, or visible tophi.
- Connective tissue disease — suspect this if there are signs of a butterfly rash or scleroderma, or there are symptoms of significant Raynaud's disease.
- Medical conditions such as sarcoidosis, thyroid disease, multiple myeloma, infective endocarditis, acute rheumatic fever, and haemochromatosis.
© NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement