eMedicine Specialties > Rheumatology > Spondyloarthropathies

Reactive Arthritis: Follow-up

Author: Carlos J Lozada, MD, Director of Rheumatology Fellowship Program, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Jackson Memorial Medical Center, University of Miami School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Oct 1, 2008

Follow-up

Further Inpatient Care

Hospitalization of a patient with uncomplicated reactive arthritis is not indicated.

Deterrence/Prevention

Even when a causal microorganism is isolated, antibiotic therapy does not change the course of the disease.

Patient Education

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Arthritis Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Psoriatic Arthritis.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Septic arthritis must be ruled out if suspected before a diagnosis of reactive arthritis is made. Failure to appropriately treat septic arthritis in a timely manner could result in joint destruction. Medicolegal liability could result from this oversight.
  • HIV/AIDS should be considered before instituting immunosuppressive therapy in severe cases of reactive arthritis.
 


More on Reactive Arthritis

Overview: Reactive Arthritis
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Reactive Arthritis
Treatment & Medication: Reactive Arthritis
Follow-up: Reactive Arthritis
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

reactive arthritis, Reiter syndrome, Reiter's syndrome, RS, ReA, nongonococcal urethritis, conjunctivitis, oculo-urethro-synovial syndrome, Chlamydia reactive arthritis, chlamydial reactive arthritis , Shigella dysentery, gastrointestinal infections, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Chlamydia trachomatis, C trachomatis, Yersinia, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthropathy, infectious diarrhea, genitourinary infection

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Carlos J Lozada, MD, Director of Rheumatology Fellowship Program, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Jackson Memorial Medical Center, University of Miami School of Medicine
Carlos J Lozada, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and American College of Rheumatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

John Varga, MD, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Northwestern University
John Varga, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American College of Rheumatology, Central Society for Clinical Research, and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Elliot Goldberg, MD, Dean of the Western Pennsylvania Clinical Campus, Professor, Department of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine
Elliot Goldberg, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, and American College of Rheumatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society of General Internal Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Herbert S Diamond, MD, Professor of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine; Chairman Emeritus, Department of Internal Medicine, Western Pennsylvania Hospital
Herbert S Diamond, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, American College of Rheumatology, American Medical Association, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: medifocus Honoraria Review panel membership; health dialogs Honoraria Consulting; Merck, Amgen, Biogen, Zimmer, Wyeth, Johnson&Johnson, Stryker, Medtronic, Zimmer.Abbott,  Ownership interest Other; West Penn Allegheny Health System Consulting fee Consulting; Alpharma Honoraria Consulting; Proctor&Gamble Grant/research funds Independent contractor

 
 
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