Background: Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune condition characterized by widespread skin fibrosis and/or end-organ damage. Previous studies have reported variable outcomes of the disease process, with males and patients of certain ethnicities suffering from the severe form of the disease leading to end-organ damage and an increase in mortality (1,2). The aim of this [...]

Background: The Antinuclear Antibody test (ANA) is a test often positive in patients with autoimmune rheumatologic disorders. However, ANA testing can also be positive in non-rheumatic conditions and in healthy individuals1. Prior studies have focused on the clinical utility of positive ANA testing in the outpatient setting by non-rheumatologists, but less is known about its [...]

Case Presentation: A previously healthy 11-month-old female was admitted to the hospital with new onset of skin lesions. One month prior to admission, her parents noticed “bumps on her bottom.” They initially thought the bumps were secondary to insect bites, and took her to a local urgent care, where she was prescribed topical antibiotic ointment. [...]

Case Presentation: A 71-year-old woman with a past medical history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and osteoarthritis presented with four days of fevers, intermittent confusion, subjective weakness, and pain in the neck and left shoulder. On examination, she exhibited tenderness to palpation of the neck with significantly limited rotational range of motion. The left shoulder was also [...]

Case Presentation: A 51–year–old female, with no significant past medical history, presented to the emergency room with dyspnea and swelling of the throat. The patient first began to experience shortness of breath two months prior to this encounter. At that time, the patient was evaluated in the emergency department of an outside hospital. Pulmonary embolus [...]

Case Presentation: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly known as lupus, is a multifaceted autoimmune disorder characterized by a myriad of clinical manifestations, including but not limited to fatigue, joint pain and swelling, and malar rash. Although a common cardiac manifestation of SLE is pericarditis, often accompanied by pericardial effusion, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is not [...]

Case Presentation: A 29-year-old previously healthy male presented with acute symmetrical joint pain with swelling, back pain, headache, and photophobia. He had no established past medical history and his social history was unremarkable. He was febrile with an examination significant for upper and lower extremity joint tenderness, warmth, and joint swelling in his hands, feet, [...]

Case Presentation: We describe a patient with relapsing polychondritis (RPC) who developed a complete heart block, mitral valve insufficiency and aortic root dilation. A 72-year-old man with a history of RPC presented with fatigue, lightheadedness and syncope, which was secondary to the new onset complete heart block (CHB). Further investigation showed an elevated C-reactive protein [...]

Case Presentation: A man in his 70s with history of benign prostate hypertrophy, diverticulosis, and polymyalgia rheumatica with previously elevated RF and anti-CCP serologies who first developed sinus symptoms and recurrent pneumonias four years prior to his current presentation. At that time, he had CT chest imaging demonstrate bronchiectasis and spirometry reveal an obstructive ventilatory [...]

Case Presentation: A 62-year-oldwoman with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) presented with one week of worsening shortness of breath, bilateral lower extremity edema, and poor oral intake. Over the past year, the she had increasing early satiety resulting in a 93-pound weight loss and progressively decreasing exercise tolerance. She noted dry eyes, dry [...]