Abstract: Objective To improve the comprehensive understanding and treatment level of the disease by analyzing the clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) caused by pauciarticular arthritis. Methods The method was retrospective analysis and summary of clinical and laboratory data of 198 cases of patients with RA, in which 98 cases of pauciarticular arthritis belonged to the observation group and 100 cases of polyarticular arthritis belonged to the control group. Results Male patients in observation group were obviously more than those in the control group (t=2.456, P=0.015). Courses of disease was obviously shorter than those in the control group (t=-2.450, P=0.018). The number of involved joints was obviously less than those in the control group (t=-6.316, P<0.001). The incidence of morning stiffness was significantly less than those in the control group (t=-3.884, P<0.001). Rating scores of disease activity score 28 were significantly lower than those in the control group (t=-8.694, P<0.001). And positive rate of anti-cyslic citrullinated peptide antibody is significantly higher than those in the control group (t=-2.299, P=0.022). Thyrotrophin levels were significantly higher than those in the control group (t=3.809, P<0.001). There was no significant differences in age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C reactive protein, immunoglobulin and complement level, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, blood lipids, blood system and kidney involvement between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions The conclusion turns out to be that there are no typical clinical manifestations showing that rheumatoid arthritis is caused by pauciarticular arthritis. Maybe it is the early performance of disease. It is worth attention that concurrent subclinical hypothyroidism turns out to be more.