Connective Tissue Disease Flashcards
who is lupus most common in?
mostly women
afro-caribbeans
afro-americans
Asians uncommon in black africans
what are the contributing factors
genetic predisposition
environmental factors
immunological factors
humoral factors
what genetic factors affect lupus?
high concordance in monozygotic twins
and relatives
what hormonal factors can influence lupus?
increased incidence in people with higher oestrogen exposure - early menarche, on oestrogen containing contraceptives and HRT
pathogenesis of lupus?
defective apoptosis = dead cells aren’t cleared properly and their material which is released floats around the body for too long (acts as auto-antigens)
immune system activates T and B cells and develops antibodies against these
antibodies attack dead cell material as well as healthy cells
how does lupus cause renal disease?
deposition of immune complexes in mesangium/walls of blood vessels and activate complement which attracts leukocytes (e.g neutrophils) which release cytokines
cytokines perpetuate inflammation which cause necrosis and scarring
results in non functioning kidney
what drives lupus disease?
immune complex formation
= hypersensitivity type 3
is B cell function normal?
no
producing auto-antibodies
common clinical features of lupus?
skin involvement mucosal involvement alopecia joint involvement serositis (pleura, pericardium involvement) renal involvement neurological (brain fog > seizures) haemolytic anaemia leukopenia (low WCC) thrombocytopenia (low platelets)
what parts of FBC may be altered in lupus?
all of them
what are some common constitutional symptoms of lupus?
fever malaise poor appetite weight loss fatigue
name some mucocutaneous features of lupus?
photosensitivity - malar rash discoid lupus erythematous subacute cutaneous lupus mouth ulcers alopecia (hair on the pillow)
how do lupus rashes appear?
hours-days after sun exposure and last for weeks
sparing of fold between face and nose
what is discoid lupus?
rash with coin shaped lesions
can often be a separate disease - not systemic lupus
MSK features of lupus?
joint pain or inflammation (often in smaller joints)
muscle pain, weakness or inflammation
deforming and non-deforming arthropathy
what is Jaccoud’s arthritis?
type of deforming arthropathy
normal X ray
looks like rheumatoid deformity from outside but has normal joints
due to laxity of ligaments
what is serositis?
inflammation of the pericardium or pleura
what can occur in serositis?
pleural effusion
pericardial effusion
pericarditis
pleurisy
renal features of lupus?
tends to cause no symptoms
clinical signs of renal disease?
proteinuria (>500mg)
haematuria sometimes
red cell casts
what is red cell cast a sign of?
glomerulonephritis
- renal disease
next step if high protein found in urine?
renal biopsy
neurological features of lupus?
depression/psychosis migranes seizures cranial or peripheral neuropathy mononeuritis multiplex (inflammation of blood supply to a long nerve causing a palsy)
MRI features of naeurological disease?
white spots