Unusual presentation of rheumatoid arthritis in a 106‐year‐old woman: A rare case report

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease with a peak incidence between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. Rheumatoid arthritis that first appears in people over the age of 60 is commonly referred to as "elderly onset Rheumatoid Arthritis." We present an extremely rare case of a 106-year-old female newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. By reporting this case, we hope to encourage medical professionals to concentrate on diagnosing old patients with unusual presentation of rheumatoid arthritis."Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease primarily affecting synovial tissue and leading to joint destruction and disability". 1 Approximately 0.3-1% of the world's population suffers from RA. 2 RA that first appears in people over the age of 60 is commonly referred to as "elderly onset Rheumatoid Arthritis". 3 Traditional estimates place the peak incidence of RA between the ages of 30 and 50; nevertheless, the number of late-60s onset cases has been rising in recent years. 4 Elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) differs from RA that presents before age 60 in a variety of ways, including the prevalence of males, the clinical presentation, the prognosis, the presence of co-morbid conditions, and the frequency with which an anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody or rheumatoid factor is positive. 5,6 We present an extremely rare case of a 106-year-old female newly diagnosed with RA. | CASE PRESENTATIONA 106-year-old female presented with generalized bone pain, low-grade fever, and the inability to walk; she was previously able to walk alone in her home without an assistant. She went to a a general practitioner, who