INFO - On palindromic rheumatism from MayoClinic.com

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" Palindromic rheumatism " :

What is palindromic rheumatism?

Palindromic rheumatism, also called palindromic rheumatoid arthritis,

is a rare type of inflammatory arthritis. In English, a palindrome is a word

that reads the same backward or forward, such as madam. The adjective

palindromic means " to come and go. "

Palindromic rheumatism is characterized by recurrent attacks of

painful swelling of the joints and adjacent tissues. Usually, it affects one

or two joints at a time. The attacks start abruptly and can last for several

hours or days. The attacks may recur with unpredictable frequency - from

every few days to every few months.

Although palindromic rheumatism can recur over many years, it doesn't

usually damage the joints. The disease typically occurs between the ages of

20 and 50. People with palindromic rheumatism are at higher risk of

developing rheumatoid arthritis.

A doctor may make a diagnosis based on history of signs and symptoms.

No specific test can diagnose palindromic rheumatism.

Treatment can be challenging because the attacks are so difficult to

predict. Treatment to prevent attacks may include:

Colchicine, an anti-inflammatory medication

Injections of gold salts (gold therapy)

Some doctors recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. But their

benefit isn't clear. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, don't usually

help.

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