Intro to Rheumatic Disease -Abu-Shakra

Question 1

What are the three classifications of rheumatic disease?

What are examples of each?

Answer 1

I. Inflammatory Diseases
Systemic diseases
Inflammatory synovitis
> 2000 cells in synovial fluid
Seropositive arthritis (specific antibodies related to disease are found, RA, SLE, SSc, vasculitis, myositis, Sjogren’s syndrome)
Seronegative arthritis (Spondyloarthropathy)
-inflammation in the spinal column and peripheral joints (ex: ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis-25%, IBD-75%)
Crystal induced arthritis (gout)
Septic arthritis (must be treated quickly otherwise leads to surgical removal of joint, usually high cell count monoarthritis usually strep, staph, viral, Lyme or TB)
Other

II. Non-inflammatory Diseases
< 2000 cells in Synovial fluid
Mostly in cartilage
Osteoarthritis

III. Non articular rheumatisim
No joint disease
Ache and pain in muscle/joint but MRI and biopsy don’t show pathology
Referred pain (Neck and back)
Tendinitis
Tenosynovitis
Complex regional pain syndrome
Fibromyalgia