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Update on Post-Streptococcal Reactive Arthritis: Narrative Review of a Forgotten Disease

  • Reactive Arthritis (H Zeidler, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Rheumatology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of the Review

This topical review attempts to build the concepts of PSRA as an independent entity and discuss prevalent diagnostic criteria. It utilizes a search strategy to collate all clinical features of PSRA reported from across the world and also discusses laboratory and treatment options in brief.

Recent Findings

There are several immune-mediated diseases described after acute streptococcal infections. Post-streptococcal reactive arthritis (PSRA) is a sterile, self-limiting arthritis that occur as an immune sequelae to streptococcal infection. Though PSRA resembles the arthritis of acute rheumatic fever superficially, it is a separate entity in its own right. It is different from classical reactive arthritis too. It was being recognized worldwide and more frequently in the recent past, possibly due to heightened awareness amongst clinicians.

Summary

However, research on this enigmatic immune phenomenon is limited. Most acceptable hypotheses suggest molecular mimicry sensitizing the immune system towards synovial peptides such as keratin, vimentin and laminin, leading to arthritis in a genetically predisposed individual. There is still much to be learnt from this unique disease about the vagaries of the immune system.

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Author notes

  1. Sakir Ahmed and Prasanta Padhan contributed equally and share joint first authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India

    Sakir Ahmed, Prasanta Padhan & Ramnath Misra

  2. Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Christian Medical College & Hospital, Vellore, India

    Debashish Danda

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Contributions

Conceptualization: PP and DD. Methodology: SA and RM. Writing - original draft: SA and PP. Writing - review & editing: SA, PP, RM and DD. All the authors have approved the final manuscript and take full responsibility for the integrity of the data and the contents of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Debashish Danda.

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Ahmed, S., Padhan, P., Misra, R. et al. Update on Post-Streptococcal Reactive Arthritis: Narrative Review of a Forgotten Disease. Curr Rheumatol Rep 23, 19 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-021-00982-3

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