Rheumatoid Arthritis and Post-Covid Syndrome

Abstract

As the SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) pandemic enters its third year, physicians are increasingly confronted with a new pathology, Post-COVID Syndrome (PCS). One of the common manifestations of PCS is a musculoskeletal symptom complex, manifested by myalgia, arthralgia, and arthritis. Today, there is no universally accepted term, definition, classification, diagnostic criteria, or consensus on the duration of PCS. In the literature there are enough descriptions of cases of the occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after SARS-CoV-2. The question arises: is this a coincidence or could COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) be a trigger factor for RA? From the perspective already expressed in medical circles, COVID-19 can unmask previously undiagnosed RA or cause disease de novo. In addition, the onset of arthritis can be a manifestation of PCS and can be transient. The trigger role of a SARS-CoV-2 infection in the occurrence of RA seems likely. The emergence of arthritis in the post-COVID period may pose problems in the differential diagnosis of joint damage.