Can hives be a symptom of RA?
I was diagnosed with RA when I turned 19 (I am now 31) and I think my sister, who will be 24 next month, might have it, too. Three weeks ago, she began showing all the classic signs fo RA, as well as hives.
According to my rheumatologist and other material I've read, chronic hives can be a symptom of RA and other autoimmune disorders. It was one of the first symptoms I experienced along with some other classic signs.
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andrew
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 06:49 PM
Anecdotally, I've noticed that since taking Enbrel, my hives symptoms have almost disappeared. That's a strong case for the connection. I also found this (along with other references) relating hives (called chronic urticaria) and RA. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/762917-overview
Chronic urticaria can be related to all of the above as well as to the following:
- Autoimmune disorders (SLE, rheumatoid arthritis, polymyositis, thyroid autoimmunity, and other connective tissue diseases); probably up to 50% of chronic urticaria is autoimmune.
There is also a genetic/family connection with autoimmune diseases. I do hope that your sister doesn't have RA. If she does, I hope she gets diagnosed and treated quickly because that can make a huge difference in the long term.
Andrew
Hives are frequently a symptom/sign of Sjogren's. I have chronic hives that cannot always be tied to an allergic reaction and my rheumatologist believes they are caused by Sjogren's.
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Thanks for responding, Andrew! The hives were the only symptom that didn't seem to fit with RA. I never had hives so I wasn't sure if they could be a symptom or not. Unfortunately, it's looking more and more like my sister has RA.