8) Other signs and symptoms
Rheumatoid arthritis can also have other signs and symptoms apart from joint pain and other joint manifestations. They are known as extraarticular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis, including rheumatoid nodules and organic involvement in the heart, lungs, and other body parts.
Rheumatoid Nodules are relatively common and happen 25% of the time, timely after the first year of the diagnosis. These are skin lesions found on extensor surfaces of the skin, such as the occiput, the back of the heel, and the olecranon process.
Cardiovascular problems are more common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to the rest of the population. They have a higher risk of myocardial infarction and may experience pericardial effusion, myocarditis, vascular disease, and conduction defects. Similarly, rheumatoid arthritis patients can experience interstitial fibrosis, pleural effusions, and lung nodules.