Arthritis Flashcards
What are 4 things to consider with arthritis?
It’s complicated
It’s highly prevalent
It’s not just for old people
It’s getting worse
What are two major forms of arthritis?
Rheumatoid: systemic inflammatory disease primarily affecting joint synovium
Osteoarthritis or Degenerative Joint Disease: localized process involving destruction of cartilage tissue
What does OA and DJD look like on x-ray?
Joint space collapse
bright white spots are sclerosis
What does RA look like on x-ray?
inflammation, joint space narrowing, joint erosion
overall washed out appearance
articular surfaces eaten away
What is RA?
Chronic systemic inflammatory process with spontaneous exacerbation and remission.
Closely related to other rheumatologic conditions
Diagnostic criteria continually reevaluated
What is diagnostic criteria for RA?
Must meet 4/7 criteria, 1-4 must be > 6 weeks duration
Morning stiffness: at least an hour
Arthritis of 3 or more joint areas: 14 areas (L/R), PIP, MCP, wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, MTP
Arthritis of hand joints: wrist, PIP, MCP
Symmetry
Rheumatoid nodules
Positive serum rheumatoid factor
Radiographic evidence or erosion, bony decalcification
What are epidemiology of RA?
Affects 1.5 million people
Women>men
Peak occurrence 60-70
Lower prevalence in African americans, japanes, and Chinese vs. Caucasian, increased in native americans
What is etiology of RA?
Considered autoimmune disorder
Specific etiology unknown
Maybe genetic
Potential bacterial or viral component, smoking may contribute
Rheumatoid factor: autoantibody against IgGFc in about 70% of patients
What is pathophysiology of RA?
Infiltration of synovium by CD4, T cells, B cells, and monocytes
Production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines
Hyperplastic synovium (pannus) invades and erodes cartilage, bone, articular capsule, and ligaments
Neutrophil infiltration of synovial fluid, venous distension, capillary obstruction, thrombus, and hemorrhage
What is simple pathophysiology statement of RA?
Hyperplastic granulation (pannus) invades joint, releasing inflammatory factors which erode cartilage and subchondral bone
What is diagnostic criteria for RA?
No single diagnostic test
Based on: exclusion of other diagnoses, clinical presentation over time, lab and radiographic findings
What are differential diagnosis for RA?
OA, reactive arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, gout, psoriatic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, infection, fibromyalgia, SLE, sarcoidosis
What is clinical presentation of RA?
usually insidious onset Symmetrical morning stiffness (> 60 min) Generalized fatigue and malaise Low-grade fever Anorexia and weight loss Depression Progression most rapid in first 6 years
What are the 3 different disease courses of RA?
Monocyclic (20%): one episode abates within 2 years of initial presentation
Polycyclic (70%): fluctuating level of disease activity
Progressive and Unremitting (10%)
What are patterns of joint involvement for RA?
Bilateral/symmetrical
Hands and wrists most common
Join inflammation
Crepitus
80% develop joint abnormalities within 10 years of diagnosis
Axial skeleton and DIP joints rarely involved
Cervical spine sometimes affected
May be accompanied by joint ankylosis or ankylosing spondylitis
What occurs in wrist during RA?
Volar (palmar) subluxation and ulnar displacement of carpals in relation to radius
Frequent development of flexion contractures
De Quervain’s and CTS are common due to synovitis
How is hand involved in RA?
Symmetric MCP and PIP joint involvement is fist clinical feature of RA
MCPs: volar subluxation and ulnar drift
PIPs: swan neck and boutonniere deformities with osteophyte formation, Bouchard’s nodes
Thumb: IP hyperextension and MCP flexion, with progressive CMC involvement
DIPs: Usually uninvolved
What is Mutilans deformity?
severe deformity with profound instability and functional impairment
loss of joint integrity
Can hip be involved with RA?
More common in OA Characteristic joint space narrowing with intact articular cortex No sclerosis (bone doesn't light up) Consider treatments that reduce risk of hip joint degeneration
Is knee involved in people with RA?
Commonly involved due to large amount of joint synovium
Flexion contractures are common due to pain, muscle guarding
On X-ray there is osteopenia, joint collapse, and absence of osteophytes
Can foot and ankle be involved with RA?
Pronated hindfoot
Collapse of longitudinal and transverse arches
Hallux valgus
MTP joint subluxation
Hammer or claw toes
On x-ray: hallux valgus, PIP erosions, claw toes
What is involvement of muscle in RA?
Primary or Secondary?
Muscle involvement at affected joints
Disuse atrophy, myositis, steroid induced myopathy, and or peripheral neuropathy
Can tendon and ligaments be involved in RA?
Altered biomechanics due to chronic inflammatory process
Tenosynovitis interrupts gliding at tendon sheath, causing damage and potential for rupture
Flexor tenosynovitis is considered poor prognosis factor
What are radiographic stages of RA?
Early
Moderate
Severe
Terminal
What does radiograph look like in early stage?
no radiographic evidence, possible osteoporosis
What does radiography look like in moderate stage of RA?
OP with slight cartilage destruction, muscle atrophy, and no joint deformity
What does radiograph look like in severe stage?
OP and destruction of cartilage and bone, joint deformity without ankylosis, extensive atrophy
What does radiograph look like in terminal stage?
Stage 3 + fibrosis or bony ankylosis