title: Acute monoarticular arthritis. A diagnostic approach.
abstract: A group of adult patients with acute nontraumatic monoarticular arthritis was studied. Using only the traditional clinical tools of history, physical examination, joint x-ray films, and synovial fluid culture, Gram's stain, and examination for crystals, 74% of the diagnoses made were achieved either immediately or within two to three days. Overall, 64% of the cases were diagnosed during follow-up. Other tests were not found to be helpful in the acute situation and should be utilized only if the tests already mentioned fail to yield a diagnosis. The prognosis of patients with acute monoarthritis that remains undiagnosed after thorough evaluation is generally good.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D001175:Arthrography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010808:Physical Examination; D011379:Prognosis; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000382:microbiology