Autoimmune Disease Flashcards
When should you consider autoimmune connective tissue
Any unwell patient with multi-organ involvement
Especially if no infection
What is ANA
Tells something is wrong with immune system General Ab screen Sensitive but NOT specific Can occur with MS / infection 30+ of people in health have
When do you test for ANCA
Vasculitis
what is cANCA +Ve in and what is target
Known known as proteinase 3 / PR3 Ab (or target)
Macroscopic vasculitis
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
What is pANCA +ve in and target
Known known as MPO - myeloperoxidase (or target)
Microscopic vasculitis Churg Strauss Microscopic polyangiitis PSC GN SLE Sjogren RA IBD Autoimmune hepatitis
Is suspecting autoimmune connective tissue disease what is important to do
Specific nuclear antigens / ENA
Specific antigens for SLE
ANA Anti-dsDNA Anti-Ro Anti-SM Low complement Lupus anti-coagulant Anti-phospholipid can be +Ve RF can be +Ve \+Ve DAT
Specific antigens for Sjogren
Anti-Ro
Anti-La
Can be RF +Ve / ANA
Specific antigens for Sclerosis
Anti-centromere in limited
Anti-Scl-70 in diffuse
Ant-RNA pol 1,2,3
Can be ANA / RF +ve
Specific antigens for polymyositis
Anti-Jo1
What antigen if presenting with mixed connective tissue disease
Anti-RNP
Specific antigens for anti-phospholipid
Technically not ENA as not part of nucleus Anti-carpolipin Anti-phospholipid Anti-binding globulin Lupus anti-coagulant
What is important to remember
Ab often overlap
Conditions overlap too
Clinical Hx then support from immunology is important for Dx
How do you investigate autoimmune connective tissue disease
Hx Immunological bloods if specific - ANA + specific ANCA if suspect vasculitis Biopsy = best way to Dx PET may show inflammaiton USS may show vasculitis
CRP doesn’t tend to rise in flares so what does a raised CRP suggest
Sepsis
Synovitis
Serositis (pleurisy / peritonitis)
What are maintenance Rx
NSAID + hydroxychoroquine for joint and skin = most mild
DMARD - Azathioprine / methotrexate = steroid sparing
Biologics - Monoclonal Ab
What is used if mild flare
Mild medications
DMARD - hydroxychloroquine
Low dose steroid
What is used if moderate flare with organ involvement
Add immunosuppression e.g. MMF
+ DMARD
What may be needed in severe flare
High dose steroids
Cyclophosphamide
Rituximab
What do you do if on long term steroid
DEXA
Bone protection with biphosphonates
Increased risk of infection but sometimes patient requires
What is 5 year damage
Nerve damage Malignancy Intersitial lung disease End stage renal CVS disease Osteoporosis Hearing loss
What is severe complications
Haemolytic anaemia
Nephritis
Severe pericarditis or CNS
What annual monitoring is needed to look for complications
Clinic ECHO for pulmonary hypertension PFT for ILD BP Urine dip - look for protein or blood (nephritis or nephrotic) Bloods - FBC, U+E, LFT, CRP, autoimmune
What is SLE (Lupus) and what type of hypersensitive
Autoimmune disease
Ab targeted at double stranded DNA
Type 3 hypersensitivity reaction
Who does it tend to affect / what is associated
YOUNG FEMALE Rare post-menopausal Sjogren Autoimmune thyroid disease Alopecia
What is typical presentation / mnemonic
Relapsing remitting
Joints / Skin / Kidney
Need 4+ to Dx
SOAPBRAIN MD
- Serositis - pleuritic / peri
- Oral painful ulcers
- Arthritis + stiffness
- Photosensitivity
- Blood disorder
- Renal immune complex
- ANA+ve
- Immune- anti-dsDNA
- Neuro
- Malar / butterfly rash
- Discoid rash
How can skin be affected
Malar / butterfly rash Discoid rash Photosensitivity Raynaud's Livedo reticularis - non-blanching pink / blue mottling Alopecia Oral ulcers
How can joints be affected
Joints tend to be less affected than other arthritis
Arthritis symptoms in 2 joints - no X-ray change
Arthralgia
Myalgia
Kidney affected
Lupus nephritis
Proteinuria
Haematuria
GN
What are CVS / resp signs
CVS disease = leading causes of death due to inflammation causing hypertension
Interstitial lung disease
Pulmonary fibrosis
Pleural effusion
Pericarditis / myocarditis / endocarditis
Stroke
What are neuro / psych signs
Stroke CN palsy Optic neuritis Transverse myelitis Neuropathy Seizures Psychosis Depression Anxiety
What are general features
Fatigue Weight loss PUO Lymphadenopathy Oral ulcers Anaemia - normocytic Thrombocytopenia Leucopenia Infections due to immunosuppression drugs
How do you Dx
History Immunological test Bloods Urinanalysis Biopsy - may need renal biopsy or CXR
What is seen on bloods
Low WCC Low platelet Low complement Low Hb - anaemia of chronic disease \+Ve DAT Raised ESR / CRP Raise Ig due to activation of B cells in inflammation
What should always be done
Urine dip