Which clinical manifestation is commonly seen in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis?

• A. Symmetric joint swelling
• B. Presence of Heberden's nodes
• C. Morning stiffness lasting less than 15 minutes
• D. Cervical spondylosis of C3-C7

Answer: (A)

Inflammatory synovitis causing symmetric joint involvement is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis. The disease tends to affect small joints of the hands and wrists on both sides, leading to swelling, warmth, tenderness, and sometimes effusions that appear in a mirrored pattern across joints. This symmetry reflects a systemic autoimmune process targeting the synovium rather than isolated degenerative wear.

Morning stiffness in RA is a key clue, but it usually lasts far longer than a few minutes—often hours—because the inflammation is persistent. In contrast, findings like Heberden’s nodes are classic for osteoarthritis (degenerative changes at the distal interphalangeal joints). Cervical spondylosis refers to degenerative changes in the cervical spine seen with aging and isn’t a typical presentation of RA, though advanced disease can involve the cervical spine in other ways.

So the most characteristic manifestation here is symmetric joint swelling from inflammatory synovitis, reflecting the bilateral, systemic nature of RA.