Clinical Flashcards
what is the normal temperature range?
- 36.5 to 37.5 (NICE guidance)
how does acute tonsilitis present?
- swollen, red tonsils
- (sometimes covered in white bits)
what is the causative microorganism for acute tonsilitis?
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- (often called group A Streptococcus)
how does scarlet fever present?
- flu-like symptoms - high temp., sore throat, swollen neck glands
- a rash appears 12-48 hrs later (the rash blanches with gentle pressure - redness disappears and then returns)
- a white coating also appears on the tongue, this peels which leaves it red and swollen (strawberry tongue)
is scarlet fever a notifiable disease?
- yes
name 4 notifiable diseases
- COVID-19
- diptheria
- food poisoning
- malaria
- measles
- plague
- rubella
- scarlet fever
- smallpox
- tetanus
- tuberculosis
- whooping cough
- yellow fever
what are the majority of sore throats caused by?
- viral infections
what virus causes glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis)?
- Epstein-Barr virus
- (Epstein-Barr virus is one of 8 different types of human herpes viruses) - it can cause many other different diseases too
how do we tell the difference between bacterial and viral throat infections?
- near-patient testing
- (guesswork)
- (clinical scoring system)
give an example of a near-patient testing kit
- HCG pregnancy testing kit
- CRP testing kit
- Strep. A antigen test kit
how does near-patient testing relate to immunology?
- we use antibodies to bind to the substance of interest (such as HCG in pregnancy) and then a marker to show that the binding has taken place
why would it be helpful to GPs to be able to tell whether Streptococcus pyogenes is causing a sore throat?
- antibiotic stewardship
give three reasons for doctors to engage in antibiotic stewardship
- to improve patient outcomes by giving the most appropriate antibiotic for the correct length of time
- to reduce microbial resistance
- to decrease the spread of infections caused by multip-drug resistant organisms. both in the community and in the hospital setting
- avoidance of side effects from inappropriate use of antibiotics
what would happen if we didn’t have antibiotics?
- wouldn’t be able to treat simple infections (eg. lower respiratory tract infection)
- these very treatable infections would become very dangerous and potentially fatal
- also more resistance to anti-viral and anti-fungal treatments
what type of crystals are found in gout?
- monosodium urate (uric acid)
what type of crystals are found in pseudogout?
- calcium pyrophosphate
apart from the presence of crystals, what else would be different about the characteristics of the synovial fluid in a knee with crystal synovitis and a normal knee?
- volume of synovial fluid is higher
- viscosity of synovial fluid is lower
- colour of fluid is straw/opaque (compared to clear in normal)
- WBC is a lot higher
- PMN count (polymorphouclear cells) is higher
what is gout?
- overproduction of uric acid
- underexcretion of uric acid (abnormal renal handling of urate)
- (both of these lead to hyperuricemia)
what are some causes of hyperuricemia (gout)
overproduction of urate:
- excess dietary purines (high triglycerides intake)
- high alcohol intake
- myeloproliferative disorder
- lymphoproliferative disorder
under excretion of urate (abnormal renal handling of urate):
- renal disease
- polycystic kidney disease
what are some drugs which can cause hyperuricemia?
- Cyclosporine (immunosuppressant used for RA and Crohn’s)
- Alcohol
- Nicotinic acid
- Thiazides (diuretic)
- Lasix/frusemide (diuretic used for high BP and oedema)
- Ethambutol (antibiotic against tuberculosis)
- Aspirin (low dose)
- Pyrazinamide (antibiotic against tuberculosis)
which groups of people are more at risk of developing gout and what are some predisposing factors?
- common in men over 40
- post-menopausal women (loss of uricosuric effect of oestrogen)
predisposing factors:
- immediate post-operative period after major surgery
- myocardial infection (heart attack)
- stroke
- fasting
- alcohol abuse
- large intake of food with high purine content (salty fish, meat)
- local infection
which joint is most commonly affected by gout?
- MTP joint of the great toe (metatarsophalangeal joint)
which lab tests should be done for patients with suspected gout?
- joint fluid analysis
- WCC in joint fluid (neutrophils)
- culture to rule out infection
- serum uric acid
- renal function
- urine dipstick (haematuria - gout and kidney stones)
what are the differentials for gout?
- degree of inflammation (different from RA)
- matched only by other crystal disease (pseudogout) or infection
- 1st MTP joint pain (characteristic of gout)
- (shoulder and hip involvement are rare in gout - could be pseudogout)
what is the line of treatment for gout (acute and intercritical)?
acute attack:
- joint rest and ice
- NSAIDs or COX 2 inhibitors
- oral steroids
- local steroid injection
- oral colchicine
intercritical gout (recurrent attacks):
- diet (low purine intake)
- reduce alcohol intake
- weight reduction
- colchicine prophylaxis
- urate lowering drugs (allopurinol or febuxostat)
what is pseudogout?
- deposition of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD)
- chondrocalcinosis - calcified cartilage on x-rays
- presence of CPPD crystals are associated with aggressive, destructive OA
what are some of the predisposing factors for pseudogout?
- elderly women > men
- hyperparathyroidism, hypothyroidism
- hemochromatosis (higher levels of iron in body)
- hypomagnesemia (magnesium deficiency)
- hypophosphatasia (low levels of phosphate in body)
- acromegaly (body produces too much growth hormone)
- trauma, infection, OA
which joint is most commonly affected by pesudogout?
- knee
- (ankle, wrist, shoulders also commonly affected)
what investigations should be done for pseudogout?
- history, clinical examination
- joint fluid analysis (synovial fluid analysis)
- x-ray
- calcium, serum uric acid, Mg, Ferritin, PTH
- negative gram stain and cultures
- CPPD crystals
what type of crystals are seen under polarised light for gout?
- (monosodium urate crystals - uric acid)
- negatively birefringent needle shaped crystals
what type of crystals are seen under polarised light for pseudogout?
- calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD)
- weakly positively birefringent rhomboid shaped crystals
what are some x-ray findings that you would see in pseudogout?
- calcium deposition
- subchondral sclerosis
- joint space narrowing
- subchondral cyst formations
- (most common at the radiocarpal articulation - 2nd and 3rd MCP joints)
what is the line of management for a patient with pseudogout?
- joint aspiration
- intra-articular steroid injection
- NSAIDs
how many bones are there in the human body?
- 306
what are the 4 different types of joints?
- fibrous (skull - bones joined to other bones by fibrous tissue)
- primary cartilaginous (ribs - bone joined to hyaline cartilage)
- secondary cartilaginous (pubic bones - bones with hyaline cartilage united by fibrous tissue)
- SYNOVIAL (shoulder, elbow, hip, knee etc.)
ligaments vs tendons?
- ligaments join bone to bone
- tendons join muscle to bone
does hyaline cartilage have a blood supply?
- no
- hyaline cartilage derives its nutrition from the synovial fluid which is produced by the synovial membrane
- if hyaline cartilage gets damaged then repairs by forming fibrous tissue (not as good as hyaline cartilage)
describe the structure of a synovial joint
- bones joined by capsule and strong ligaments hence permitting movement
- bone ends covered with hyaline cartilage (no blood vessels in hyaline cartilage)
- synovial membrane lines the joint, provides synovial fluid (rich in nutrition), provides nutrition to hyaline cartilage
- any inflammation of the synovium in the body such as in RA affects all synovial joints
what are some key findings on a knee x-ray for a patient with osteoarthritis?
- loss of joint space
- osteophytes
- cysts
- sclerosis (whitening on x-ray)
what damages the hyaline cartilage (leading to OA)?
- normal wear and tear of hyaline cartilage over the years
- inflammatory conditions cause wear that exceeds repair
- mal-alignment of bones can cause excessive wear and tear
- congenital
- severe injuries/fractures of joints and cartilage damage
- tumours
why choose a joint replacment (adv vs disadv)?
Advantages:
- almost instant cure of pain relief
- return of mobility
- return to ‘normal’ life and activities
- majority of joints are long-lasting
Disadvantages:
- operation (comes with level of risk)
- revision surgery potential
- other risks (eg. infection of the joint)
- need to be careful, mobility returned but will never be as goof as a natural joint
what do NICE guidelines say about indications for joint replacement?
- refer before there is prolonged and established functional limitation and severe pain
- patient-specific factors (including age, sex, smoking, obesity) should not be barriers to referral for joint surgery
what percentage of arthroplasties acquire infection in the UK?
- 1-2%
what are some infection preventary measures used in orthopaedic surgery?
- clean, filtered air
- prophylactic antibiotics
- antibiotic-loaded cement
- appropriate PPE used
venous thromboembolism is one of the major complications of an arthroplasty, what measures can be taken to reduce the risk of this?
- early mobilisation post-op
- TED stockings
- chemical prophylaxis (warfarin, aspirin)
what is osteoarthritis?
- disease of the entire joint (effects the bone, cartilage, synovium, and ligaments)
- breakdown of these tissues causes pain and joint stiffness
what does OA most commonly effect?
- knees, hips, and hands
what causes OA?
- primary (age is main cause)
- secondary (trauma, infection, inflammatory/RA, Perthes’ disease, SUFE, etc.)
how does OA affect the hands?
- DIP joints (Heberden’s nodes)
- base of thumb (trapeziometacarpal joint)
how does OA affect the hands?
- DIP joints (Heberden’s nodes)
- base of thumb (trapeziometacarpal joint)
what are the 2 surgery options for a patient with OA (after trying all of the conservative measures)?
- arthrodesis (fusion)
- arthroplasty (replacement): excision / hemi / total joint
how does arthrodesis benefit a patient with severe OA?
- relieves pain
- durable
- however, sacrifices movement
- (good for DIP joint as movement isn’t sacrificed too much)
what are the complications of arthroplasty?
IMMEDIATE:
- technical (eg. perioperative fracture)
EARLY:
- infection
- dislcoation
LATE:
- aseptic loosening
- wear of the implant
what is a trapezectomy? (when would we do this?)
- excision arthroplasty - bone removed to create effectively a new joint
- very durable
- no foreign material entering body
- can do for base of thumb joint (trapeziometacarpal) because non-weight bearing and can therefore heal
what is a trapezectomy? (when would we do this?)
- excision arthroplasty - bone removed to create effectively a new joint
- very durable
- no foreign material entering body
- can do for base of thumb joint (trapeziometacarpal) because non-weight bearing and can therefore heal
- preserves range of motion
- long rehab / recovery
which joint is it very rare to see OA affect?
- elbow
- more likely to be RA or synovitis / bursitis
if the rotator cuff of a shoulder is completely destroyed, what is the treatment?
- a reverse total arthroplasty
what is hallux rigidus?
- OA of the 1st metatarsal phalangeal joint (MTP joint)
what is the line of management for hallux rigidus?
- analgesia
- orthosis: stop movement (supportive footwear)
- debridement of osteophytes
- arthrodesis (fusion) or arthroplasty (replacement)
what are the NICE guidelines for diagnosing osteoarthritis clinically without investigations?
- 45 yrs or over
- activity-related joint pain
- either no morning joint-related stiffness or morning stiffness that lasts no longer than 30 mins
what should your management of OA mainly focus on?
- the patient not the x-ray!
- (each patient has a different experience - x-ray could look bad but patient is fine and vice versa)
list some some important viral diseases that are not commonly seen in primary care.
- Norovirus and rotavirus
- Molluscum contagiosum
- hepatits B, C, E
- Dengue
- Measles, mumps, and rubella
- Rabies
- Ebola and Lassa
List some commonly seen viral diseases in primary care.
Respiratory:
- adenovirus
- coronavirus
- influenza A, influenza B
- parainfluenza
- respiratory syncytial virus
- rhinovirus
- human metapneumovirus
The rest:
- Human herpes viruses
- Parvovirus B-19
- Coxsackie A-16
- Human Papilloma viruses (HPV)
- Norovirus
- Hepatitis A
- HIV
- Measles, mumps, and rubella
describe the range of common viral presentations in primary care
- URTI - sore throat, cough, ear or sinus pain
- viral exanthem (rash caused by virus)
- warts
- diarrhoea / vomiting
- acute viral jaundice
- screening result
- immunocompromised
how do we diagnose viruses?
serology (from blood):
- antibodies - IgM (recent/acute), IgG (past)
- antigens - eg. hep B e-antigen
retrospective due to seroconversion and viral loads
nucleic acid amplification tests (secretions, tissue samples, blood):
- reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
- LAMP (loop-mediation isothermal amplification)
- real-time testing enabling immediate clinical decision
what type of influenza vaccine is given to patients aged 2-17 years old?
- live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV)
what type of influenza vaccine is given to patients aged over 65 or over?
- adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (aTIV)
- (adjuvant added to the vaccine to make it more effective in older people)
Name some different types of human herpes viruses (HHV).
- Herpes simplex type 1 and 2
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- Varicella zoster virus (chicken pox and shingles)
- Epstein Barr virus (EBV) - most commonly causes glandular fever (aka. infectious mononucleosis)
- Human Herpes virus types 6, 6A, 7, and 8
70% of sore throats are caused by what?
- viral infections
what can cytomegalovirus cause?
- can cause an infection similar to EBV
- can cause congenital infection, hepatitis, splenomegaly, transverse myelitis, encephalitis
- can cause serious infection in the immunocompromised (eg. interstitial pneumonia in bone marrow transplant and AIDS patients)
what condition does this rash associate with?
- Epstein Barr virus (or cytomegalovirus)
what is a viral exanthem?
- a widespread rash that is usually accompanied by systemic symtpoms such as fever, malaise, and headache
- usually caused by an infectious condition such as a virus
what condition does this rash associate with?
- parvovirus B-19 (slapped cheek)
what condition is this rash associated with?
- measles
- (note: rash affects the trunk of the body)
what condition is this associated with?
- chicken pox (VZV)
- (note: slightly infected)
what condition is this rash associated with?
- rubella
what condition is this rash associated with? (with distinct large circular patch, ‘herald patch’)
- pityriasis rosea
- self-limiting rash
- distinct circular patch, appears lighter on pigmented skin and darker on lighter skin
what condition is this associated with?
- hand, foot, and mouth
- Coxsackie A-16 is most common
what condition is this associated with?
- Human Papilloma virus (HPV)
why should people get the HPV vaccine?
- evidence shows that vaccinated women have a reduced risk of developing cervical cancer
- boys will also be offered the HPV vaccine, it is considered a sexually transmitted disease now
how would somebody contract hepatitis A?
- contracted orally, contamination of food or water with faeces containing the virus
- not that common in the UK, more common in travellers
what condition is associated with this?
- molluscum contagiosum
- caused by a pox virus, multiple lesions can occur
- mainly in children, no treatment needed
what is the SEPSIS SIX?
- Give oxygen to keep SATS above 94%
- Take blood cultures
- Give IV antibiotics
- Give a fluid challenge
- Measure lactate
- Measure urine output
what are the 3 P’s of first aid?
- Preserve life
- Prevent further harm
- Promote recovery
what is SSSABC assessment?
S = Safety (surrounding area)
S = Stimulate the patient
S = Shout for help
A = Airway (assess airway for obstruction, head tilt, chin lift)
B = Breathing (feel for breathing)
C = Circulation
(start CPR if no signs of life and call 999)
what is the ratio for chest compressions:mouth breaths in CPR?
30:2
what is rheumatoid arthritis?
- an autoimmune, inflammatory polyarthritis (often symmetrical) with extra-articular conditions
what scoring system is used to measure disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis?
- DAS-28
- looks at number of joints affected and how badly they have been affected
- looks at blood tests to get a measure of inflammatory response using either CRP or ESR on blood tests
what is remission of RA defined as according to DAS-28, and what is moderate disease activity defined as?
- remission = less than 2.6
- moderate = greater than 5.1
what are 4 key radiological features of rheumatoid arthritis? (x-ray findings)
- soft tissue swelling
- juxta-articular erosions
- peri-articular osteoporosis
- loss of joint space
list some DMARDs used in the management of rheumatoid arthritis
- methotrexate
- sulfasalazine
- leflunomide
- hydroxychloroquine
- (gold, azathioprine, ciclosporin)
list some biologics used in the management of rheumatoid arthritis
- anti-TNFs (adalimumab, infliximab, entanercept)
- rituximab (monoclonal antibody against B-cells)
- abatercept
- tociluzimab
how often is methotrexate given and what should be prescribed with it?
- once a week
- folic acid should be prescribed with it (but given on a different day)
what are some side effects of methotrexate?
- bone marrow suppression
- GI problems
- liver problems
- infections
- rheumatoid nodules can be exacerbated
- NOT SAFE IN PREGNANCY