Chronic Muscle / Bone Flashcards
Fibromyalgia Diagnosis
- Generalized pain, present in at least 4 of 5 regions (this helps to exclude regional pain disorders)
- Symptoms have been present at least 3 mo
- Widespread pain index (WPI) ≥7 (out of 19) and symptom severity scale (SSS) ≥5 (out of 12) OR WPI 4 to 6 and SSS ≥9 (these scales can be found at www.fmnetnews.com)
Fibromyalgia Presentation
Persistant pain + fatigue + normal muscle strength
- Hyperalgia: things that hurt, hurt more (e.g., one pin stick feels like multiple ones; getting bumped with shopping cart feels like hit by a truck)
- Allodynia: things that normally do not hurt, now do (e.g., a hug, a heavy blanket)
- Global sensory hyperresponsiveness: patient is hypersensitive to almost everything (e.g., perfume, light, sounds, medications)
May also have related symptoms like dizziness, tachycardia, bowel/bbladder, hair loss
Fibromyalgia Treatment
Duloxetine (pain + mood), start at 10 to 20 mg qd and may increase to 60 mg (weeks to months)
Duloxetine (pain + mood), start at 10 to 20 mg qd and may increase to 60 mg (weeks to months)
regabalin (pain + sleep + paresthesia), start at 25 mg qd and may increase to 50 to 75 mg bid (weeks to months) with max 225 mg bid
Multi-disciplinary approach is critical to help with pain management, stress, exercise
Gout
clinical syndrome resulting from urate crystals deposited in the tissue, with inflammation and potential destruction of the tissue or joint. All patients with gout will have hyperuricemia at some point, but most people never experience a gout attack.
Hyperuricemia Types
Primary hyperuricemia: no coexisting disease or drug that alters uric acid production or excretion
Secondary hyperuricemia: excessive urate production or diminished renal clearance (see risk factors, later)
Gout Symptoms
- Acute stage: joint effusion—joint is red, warm, and very tender (“even the sheets hurt”); reaches maximum inflammation within 24 hr. There is no fever or leukocytosis.
- Chronic gout: may have large, painless nodules (tophi), especially over the MTP or MCP joint
- May have kidney stone(s)
Gout Diagnosis
- Consider CBC, ESR (if unsure of diagnosis)
- Serum uric acid: not recommended with acute attack; most accurate time for baseline level or monitoring therapy is at least 2 wk after resolution of acute flare
- “Gold standard” is seeing urate crystals in joint fluid aspirate (usually done by a rheumatologist)
Gout Treatment - Acute Flare
Acute Flare
NSAIDs (indomethacin or naproxin) but be wary of contraindications to NSAIDs
Colchicine tid first day, then 4 times per day until pain resolves
Predinsone, taper when symptoms begin to resolve
Gout Treatment - Chronic
After second or third attack, check uric acid levels and consider prophylactic therapy (which is usually continued indefinitely), usually with allopurinol (start at 100mg, increase slowly and watch renal). Start 6 weeks after acute flare resolved.
Give colchicine 0.6 mg 1 to 2 times qd or NSAIDs qd for 6 mo to prevent gout flares
If an acute flare occurs, treat as described previously; if using prednisone, may need to extend taper to 10 to 14 days
Continue urate-lowering therapy during the attack
Uric acid goal is <6 mg/dL; it is recommended to lower the uric acid no more than 1 to 2 mg/dL per month, to reduce risk of a flare
A patient experiences a second gouty flare and the primary care provider decides to begin urate-lowering therapy (ULT).
How should this be prescribed?
Begin ULT with a high-loading dose and gradually decrease
Start ULT in five weeks, along with an anti-inflammatory drug
Suspend ULT during future gouty flares
Start ULT during the current flare for best results
Typically, ULT is begun five to six weeks after a flare and should be given with an anti-inflammatory drug, since the initial period of ULT administration is associated with flares. Beginning therapy with a urate-lowering drug during an acute flare will prolong the flare.
Septic arthritis
manifests with the acute onset of a painful, red, swollen joint that is warm to the touch. An important historical point that helps distinguish septic arthritis from sterile inflammation is that the affected joint is painful at rest as well as with motion and weight bearing.
The most important examination for the diagnosis of septic arthritis is synovial fluid, not only for culture but also for cellular and chemical analysis.
Gonococcal Arthritis
There may be clinical uncertainty about the diagnosis, especially in the context of a wide range of synovial fluid leukocyte counts and negative blood cultures. In this situation, ceftriaxone, 1 g/day IM or IV every 24 hours in addition to a one-time, 1-g dose of azithromycin, can be a valid diagnostic and appropriate therapeutic strategy.
The classic triad of clinical findings in disseminated infection is dermatitis, tenosynovitis, and a migratory polyarthritis.
For coverage of gonococcal arthritis, sexually active young adults should receive ceftriaxone, 1 g intravenously daily for 7 to 10 days in addition to 1 g azithromycin orally as a one-time dose
Most common in younger, sexually active adults
Prosthetic Joint Infection
most patients have joint pain with or without radiographic evidence of loosening of the prosthesis.A minority of patients have fever, joint swelling, or sinus track drainage.A helpful observation is that mechanical problems are painful during motion, weight bearing, and pivoting but are comfortable while at rest. Constant joint pain suggests an infection
Septic Sacroiliitis
ever and low back pain or gluteal region pain that is intensified by ambulation.Focal pain that occurs when shear forces are applied to the sacroiliac joint may indicate septic sacroiliitis,
Because of the complexity of the involved joints and difficult access, these collections need pigtail catheter drainage or surgical debridement.
A patient has marked swelling of a shoulder joint with erythema and severe pain.
The primary care provider suspects a bacterial cause, what should be done?
Synovial fluid culture is the most important exam for diagnosis of septic arthritis.
Osteoporosis
bone mineral density (BMD) of 2.5 standard deviations (SDs) or less below the young normal mean
Bone resorption exceeds bone formation
Osteoporosis Symptoms and Diagnosis
Clinically silent
osteoporotic fracture, and other causes rules out
Vitamin D deficiency is common
bone density scan of the postanterolateral lumbar 1-2 year to monitor treatment
Osteoporosis Primary v Secondary
Primary osteoporosis includes bone loss arising from menopausal estrogen deficiency or aging. Secondary osteoporosis results from an acquired or inherited disease that interferes with bone remodeling or increases bone turnover
Osteoporosis Treatment
vitamin D for adults aged 19 to 70 years is 600 IU daily and for those older than 70 years, 800 IU
Weight bearing exercise
Biphosphonates (alendronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid) on empty stomach with water 30min before meal
Raloxifene for postmenopause osteroporosis prevention / treatment but it can increase breast cancer risk
Paget Disease
Metabolic bone disorder
Paget disease is uncommon before the age of 40 years; however, by the age of 80 years, 1 in 10 persons are affected by the disease.
localized increased bone turnover and blood flow, resulting in malformation and structural problems
Paget Disease Symptoms
Bone pain, often interpreted as arthritis or aging
Area is tender, may be warm, malformed bones on imaging / touch
Diagnosis is with serum alkaline phosphate elevations and PINP/CTX test
Bone pain + elevated SAP + imaging changes to bones = highly suggestive of Paget
Paget Disease Management
Ofter referral is needed
Biphosphonates, calcitonin,
Osteoarthritis
Insidious, progressive pain or stiffness of one or more joints may be the initial presenting complaint. Symptoms are most prevalent on arising, with a duration of less than 1 hour, and after a prolonged activity and are relieved by rest.
Weight bearing activities often more painful
OA Nodes
OA of the hands manifests as Heberden nodes (deformity of the distal interphalangeal joints) and Bouchard nodes (deformity of the proximal interphalangeal joints)
OA Diagnosis
Plain x-rays can show the changes in the joints (narrowing of space between bones)
OA Treatment
Acetaminophen remains the mainstay for initial treatment of early OA.
The current maximum daily dosage is one gram three times daily as needed. If the patient is also on warfarin, dosage should be limited to 2500 mg daily in divided doses.
Renal and hepatic toxicity remains a concern especially in patients taking the maximum dosage over a period of time or in those using alcohol.
Many over-the-counter cold and sleep medications contain acetaminophen, increasing the daily amount being taken by patients not aware of this.
OA Alternative Treatments
Exercise, weight loss
Tramadol
NSAID / COX2 - avoid in HF, HTN, Renal and use protective agents for GI
NEVER USE NSAIDs if over 75 years old
A 50-year-old woman reports pain in one knee upon awakening each morning which goes away later in the morning. A knee radiograph is negative for pathology and serum inflammatory markers are normal.
What will the primary care provider tell this patient?
take 1 gram of acetaminophen three times daily for pain
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis refers to an infection involving bone resulting from: (1) hematogenous seeding via bacteria in the bloodstream; (2) direct spread from a contiguous focus, such as an adjoining soft tissue infection or septic joint; or (3) direct inoculation via trauma or surgery.
Osteomyelitis Stages
1 - confined to intramedullary
2 - Superficial -infected bone at base of wound
3 - Localized - cortical involvement but no bone stability loss
4 - Diffuse - Loss of stability
1 may be treated with antibiotics alone, others require surgical care
Osteomyelitis Presentation
localized pain, erythema, and/or swelling in the region of the infected bone. Fever may also be present, particularly in infections caused by S. aureus, and children may demonstrate limping or inability to walk. It is not uncommon, though, for the presentation to be insidious with a delay in diagnosis of weeks, or possibly months
Look for wounds that have / had bone showing
Osteomyelitis Diagnosis
Plain x-ray may show changes, MRI is more sensitive
Bone biopsy is definitive
Exclude other issues such as Gout, Charcot arthropathy, fractures, malignancy
Charcot arthropathy
syndrome in patients who have peripheral neuropathy, or loss of sensation, in the foot and ankle. Patients may experience fractures and dislocations of bones and joints with minimal or no known traumas
Osteomyelitis Treatment
Refer to ID or Ortho
Empiric antibiotics such as vancomycin plus ceftriaxone over 6 weeks
Consider metastatic foci of infection (spread to multiple parts of the body)
Have regular diabetic foot inspections
Bone Tumors
True bone neoplasms arise from the connective tissues—those derived from the mesoderm—and span a broad spectrum of aggressiveness from tumors with no metastatic potential, such as osteoid osteoma, to tumors with certain metastatic potential, such as dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma
Bone Tumor Symptoms
mild, gradually increasing pain with minimal loss of function and no obvious abnormalities on physical examination. Typically, 6 months or more.
In these patients, pain after an injury may be the reason the patient visits the primary care provider, but a careful history may reveal that the pain was present and gradually increasing before the injury
Bone Tumor Diagnosis
If suspected, refer
high quality orthogonal imaging and other studies needed
If bone tumor found coincidentally, and patient has no pain it is likely a latent tumor that poses little risk - follow up imaging needed in 6 months or if symptoms develop