REACTIVE ARTHRITIS

Course overview

REACTIVE ARTHRITIS (REA) IS INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS THAT MANIFESTS SEVERAL DAYS TO WEEKS AFTER A GASTROINTESTINAL OR GENITOURINARY INFECTION. IT IS ALSO DESCRIBED AS A CLASSIC TRIAD OF ARTHRITIS, URETHRITIS AND, CONJUNCTIVITIS. HOWEVER, A MAJORITY OF PATIENTS DO NOT PRESENT WITH THE CLASSIC TRIAD. IT WAS PREVIOUSLY CALLED "REITER SYNDROME," NAMED AFTER HANS REITER, WHO FIRST DESCRIBED THIS SYNDROME. TODAY, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE DISORDER IS DUE TO AN ABERRANT AUTOIMMUNE RESPONSE TO A GASTROINTESTINAL OR GENITOURINARY INFECTION CAUSED BY SALMONELLA, SHIGELLA, CAMPYLOBACTER, OR CHLAMYDIA. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE CAUSES, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS DISORDER.