A 45-year-old woman presents with bilateral hand pain and st…

A 45-year-old woman presents with bilateral hand pain and stiffness that is worst in the morning and improves as the day goes on. She reports that the stiffness lasts for over an hour each morning and has been progressively worsening over the past few months. On exam, her metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints are tender and mildly swollen. Which of the following features is most characteristic of inflammatory joint disease such as rheumatoid arthritis?