DHA Exam Rheumatology MCQs: Practice Questions With Explanations

Sample DHA licensing exam MCQs from Rheumatology — the largest DHA specialty area still without a dedicated practice post — covering inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue disease, and crystal arthropathies, each with the correct answer explained.

Rheumatology is the largest subject in HighYield's DHA question bank that doesn't yet have its own dedicated practice post — ahead of Ophthalmology and Nephrology, the two other still-uncovered specialty areas. Below is a sample set of Rheumatology MCQs in the same clinical-vignette style tested on the DHA licensing exam for Pakistani doctors applying for a Dubai medical licence, grouped by theme.

Inflammatory Arthritis

1. A patient has symmetric pain and swelling of the small joints of both hands, with morning stiffness lasting over an hour that improves with activity. The most likely diagnosis is:

A) Osteoarthritis
B) Rheumatoid arthritis ✅
C) Gout
D) Psoriatic arthritis

2. A young man has inflammatory low back pain that improves with exercise and worsens with rest, along with reduced spinal mobility. He is most likely to test positive for:

A) Anti-CCP antibody
B) HLA-B27 ✅
C) Anti-dsDNA antibody
D) Rheumatoid factor

Connective Tissue Disease

3. A young woman presents with a malar rash, photosensitivity, and joint pain. Which antibody is most specific for her likely underlying diagnosis?

A) ANA
B) Anti-dsDNA ✅
C) Rheumatoid factor
D) Anti-CCP

4. A patient reports dry eyes and dry mouth for over a year, with positive anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies. The most likely diagnosis is:

A) Systemic sclerosis
B) Sjögren's syndrome ✅
C) Rheumatoid arthritis
D) Dermatomyositis

Crystal Arthropathies

5. A middle-aged man wakes with sudden, severe pain and swelling of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Joint fluid analysis under polarized light shows needle-shaped, negatively birefringent crystals. This is:

A) Pseudogout
B) Gout ✅
C) Septic arthritis
D) Reactive arthritis

6. Joint fluid analysis showing rhomboid-shaped, positively birefringent crystals is characteristic of:

A) Gout
B) Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (pseudogout) ✅
C) Rheumatoid arthritis
D) Osteoarthritis

Vasculitis & Reactive Conditions

7. An elderly patient presents with a new-onset headache, jaw pain on chewing, and a markedly elevated ESR. The most urgent concern, given the risk of vision loss, is:

A) Trigeminal neuralgia
B) Giant cell arteritis ✅
C) Tension headache
D) Migraine

8. A young man develops arthritis, conjunctivitis, and urethritis a few weeks after a gastrointestinal infection. This triad is classic for:

A) Rheumatoid arthritis
B) Reactive arthritis ✅
C) Psoriatic arthritis
D) Ankylosing spondylitis

Why Rheumatology Deserves Dedicated Revision

Rheumatology questions on the DHA exam lean heavily on matching a specific pattern of joint involvement, antibody profile, or crystal finding to a diagnosis, rather than isolated recall. Candidates who concentrate only on Family Medicine and Cardiology often lose avoidable marks on classic rheumatology presentations like these.

Prepare with HighYield

HighYield's DHA question bank covers Rheumatology alongside Family Medicine, Cardiology, and every other discipline tested in the DHA licensing exam, with every question explained, including a dedicated Rheumatology subject bank. For the full picture of exam fees and what to budget for, see our DHA Exam Fees guide. Start with 50 free questions, no sign-in required.