An accurate diagnosis of Reiter’s syndrome is helpful to decide an appropriate treatment plan. However, it may be difficult for the doctor as there is no specific test to confirm this disease. The Reiter’s syndrome may involve different body parts and cause the inflammation of joints, eyes, bladder, skin, genitals and mucus membranes. It can cause arthritis as well as prostatitis, cystitis, urethritis, cervicitis, skin sores or eye problems.
For the diagnosis of Reiter’s syndrome, thorough physical examination done by the doctor is essential to rule out other reasons of arthritis. The diagnosis is done on the basis of symptoms, physical examination, medical history of the patient and some laboratory and imaging tests. Keeping the records of symptoms is beneficial for the patient as well as for the doctor for correct diagnosis of this disease.
The onset of symptoms is seen 1-4 weeks after the sexually transmitted infections like HIV or Chlamydia, gastrointestinal or genitourinary infections. Hence, the doctor suggests some laboratory tests to detect the infections of Chlamydia, Salmonella, Shigella and Yersinia. Urine and stool samples are tested to find out the gastrointestinal and genitourinary infections. A swab from throat, urethra in men and women as well as from cervix in women is used for the detection of chlymadial infection. There is more advanced urine test for the detection of chlymadia and if it is positive other lab tests are performed for the detection of other sexually transmitted infections like HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and gonorrhea.
Different blood tests are performed to rule out the other forms of arthritis. Some of these tests give positive results with other types of arthritis, while they may be negative with the Reiter’s syndrome. Many lab tests are performed to detect specific types of arthritis or some other diseases.
Determination of rheumatoid factor (RF) and antinuclear antibody (ANA) are performed to rule out other types of arthritis. These tests may be positive with some other kinds of arthritis, while they are usually negative with the patients having the Reiter’s syndrome. In addition to these tests, determination of C reactive protein is another important laboratory investigation and its raised levels are suggestive of inflammatory disease.
HLA-B27 plays an important role in the development of Reiter’s syndrome. Presence of this genetic factor indicates the Reiter’s syndrome or some other arthritic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Besides this test, elevated levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) suggest the inflammation in the body. Besides these blood tests, there is another significant investigation known as synovial fluid analysis. It is aspirated from the inflamed joints through a sterile needle. It helps to rule out other types of arthritis such as infectious arthritis, gout or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Other than these blood tests, X-ray findings can be advantageous for the diagnosis of Reiter’s syndrome and to rule out some other causes of arthritis. Common findings in x-rays of the patients having the Reiter’s syndrome are sacroiliitis, spondylitis, cartilage damage, swelling of soft tissues and formation of bony spurs.
