The diagnosis: A woman suffers from joint pain, bouts of fever and a skin rash. Doctors suspect rheumatoid arthritis – but an elevated iron level puts you on the right track

My resident had called me to see the woman in her mid-fifties. As soon as I entered, I saw the woman’s swollen wrists and ankles. She sat on the bed and had her arms crossed loosely in front of her stomach to relieve it. She was obviously in severe pain. Normally she is a doer, she said. Now she needs help with everything: getting dressed or opening a bottle.

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