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Cervical myelopathy in rheumatoid arthritis — SCE Rheumatology MCQ

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EasyInflammatory ArthritisCervical myelopathy in rheumatoid arthritisSCE Rheumatology

A 36-year-old man has longstanding erosive rheumatoid arthritis, occipital pain, hand paraesthesia, brisk reflexes and suspected atlanto-axial subluxation on radiography. What is the most appropriate biologic?

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Correct answer: BTocilizumab

Tocilizumab is the single best answer because neurological signs with cervical instability suggest rheumatoid cervical myelopathy. The stem is testing biologic selection, not isolated recall, so the relevant clinical pattern and risk context determine the answer. Palindromic rheumatism is less suitable because it fits a different clinical pattern or a different treatment threshold; Erosive osteoarthritis, Hydroxychloroquine monotherapy and Etanercept do not address the key discriminator in this vignette. Clinical pearl: in SCE-style rheumatology questions, autoantibodies, imaging and synovial fluid findings should be interpreted with the whole phenotype.

Reference: NICE NG100; BSR rheumatoid arthritis guideline; BNF