ArticleCureus2026
The Great Mimickers: Navigating Diagnostic Pitfalls in Modern Rheumatology.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
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Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background Rheumatological mimics frequently cause diagnostic errors and unnecessary immunosuppression due to overreliance on positive serology or non-specific imaging. This review evaluates eight illustrative cases where initial objective findings heavily conflicted with the final, etiology-driven diagnosis. Methods A retrospective chart review of eight patients from a tertiary rheumatology practice was performed. Cases were selected based on significant incongruence between initial laboratory or high-sensitivity imaging profiles and the final clinical etiology. A literature search across PubMed and Google Scholar up to June 2026 contextualized these pitfalls. Results The cohort highlighted critical diagnostic traps: crystal arthropathy misdiagnosed as systemic vasculitis, lupus phenocopies, and structural/functional disorders (e.g., temporomandibular joint dysfunction) misattributed to fibromyalgia. Comprehensive clinical re-evaluation led to the cessation of inappropriate immunomodulatory treatments and the initiation of targeted, etiology-specific therapies. Comprehensive re-evaluation led to the cessation of inappropriate immunomodulatory treatments in all eight patients, with six receiving targeted etiology-specific therapies and two benefiting from lifestyle or occupational modifications. Conclusions Isolated laboratory titers and imaging findings must never supersede strict clinical correlation. Recognizing these common mimics is essential to halt diagnostic momentum and prevent treatment-related morbidity.
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