Ankylosis of wrist and small joints of the hand occurs in rheumatoid arthritis: Diagnostic implication in paleopathology.

There are no universally accepted criteria for the paleopathological diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent clinical studies show that small joint ankylosis occur in RA at a low frequency (2%). Presence of small joint ankylosis in paleopathological material does therefore not allow one to exclude a diagnosis of RA provided no other bone changes suggestive of spondyloarthropathy are present.