Molecular structure pattern

Rheumatoid Arthritis Differential Diagnosis

Last updated: 26 October 2026

Differential Diagnosis

Conditions that may present similarly to rheumatoid arthritis include the following:

  • Systemic diseases
    • Rheumatic fever
    • Infective endocarditis
    • Still’s disease
    • Sarcoidosis
  • Connective tissue disorders
    • Scleroderma
    • Sjogren’s syndrome
    • Systemic lupus erythematosus
    • Systemic vasculitides
    • Mixed connective tissue disease
  • Other conditions

    • Seronegative spondyloarthropathies
    • Psoriatic arthritis
    • Reactive arthritis
    • Infectious arthritis
    • Crystal-induced arthritis
    • Endocrinopathies (eg thyroid disease)
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Hemochromatosis
    • Paraneoplastic syndromes