Introduction to Rheumatology Flashcards
Explain what rheumatology is and the types of disorders rheumatologists specialize in managing.
To deal with pain and inflammation of the musculoskeletal system and autoimmune disease
Recognize how rheumatologists evaluate patients.
Patient history Lab testing Monoarticular vs. Polyarticular Joint distribution Demographic history Synovial fluid analysis
Recognize the major sub-groups of rheumatic diseases.
Degenerative Joint Disease, Inflammatory Joint Disease, Metabolic Joint Disease, Autoimmune disease
Periarticular pain
Pain arising from structures around the joint
Soft tissue pain
Pain perceived as coming from the joint but has another source
Some Lab tests
ESR (erythrocyte sed rate), C-reactive protein, Autoantibodies, albumin, hematocrit, fer-Inflammatory Diseaseitin, platelets
Non-inflammatory disease
Osteoarthritis, Secondary OA, avascular necrosis, fibromyalgia,
Bouchard
MIP
Heberden
DIP
Inflammatory Diseases
RA, crystals, spondyloarthropathies, SLE,
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Small joints except DIP, no spine
Inflamed synovial tissue
Gout
Intermittent
Redness and warmth
Smaller joints
High uric acid level in blood
Pseudogout
Larger joints
Inflammatory with calcium pyrophosphate crystals
No correlate to blood serum levels
Spondyloarthopathis
Spinal arthritis and enthesitis (inflammation of ligamentous osseus junctions)
Insidious onset
Prolonged morning stiffness
Vasculitis
Based on size of blood vessels
