KCP: Gout, Septic Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis Flashcards
Incidence vs Prevelence
Incidence: The rate of new cases of a disease in a specific population in a given time
Prevelence: The proportion of people with a disease in a population in a given time
Uric acid and gout
Gout is an inflammatory response to a build up of uric acid in the joints.
The build up of uric acid is called hyperuricemia and is due to a combination of underexcretion and overproduction
What is septic arthritis
Septic arthritis is an inflammatory response to the precence of bacteria in the joints
Usually has an accute onset and affects one joint only
Sepsis symptoms
High or low temperature
Tachycardia (heart rate over 100bpm)
Tachypnoea (fast breathing)
Low blood pressure
Hypoxia
Reduced urine output
Cold extemities
Confusion/ drowsiness
Test to tell gout from septic arthritis
Aspirate the joint (take fluid from it)
Send the blood cultures, this can tell you if there is bacteria present or if there is uric acid crystals
Gout treatment
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
Lifestyle changes
Can remove uric acid crystals form joints using a needle
Septic arthritis treatment
Antibiotics
Rheumatoid arthritis
This an inflamatory response to altered self protiens present in the joints
Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
Affects multiple joints
Is symetric
Symptoms last for weeks to months
Pain and stiffness is worse in the morning and lasts for longer than 30 minutes
Joints become twisted and deforms
Can do blood tests, these looks for rheumatoid factors (proteins the body produces when it attacks healthy tissue), they also look for anti-CCPs (certain antibodies produced by the body, if the body makes lots of these you are likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis)
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Can surpress inflamation with corticosteroids or non-steroidal anti inflammatories. This is important as it is the inflamation that is causing damage.
Can surpress the immune system with methotrexate
What are some of the tell tail signs of a rheumatoid arthritis x-ray
Narrowing of the joints
“Gull Wing”
What does stiffness in the morning imply and think about the time frame that the stiffness/ pain lasts?
Osteoarthritis: lasts < 30 mins after waking up
Rheumatoid Arthritis: lasts > 30 min after waking up
Rheumatoid arthritis pathology first stage?
The protiens change
Rheumatoid arthritis pathology second stage?
The body responds to the altered protiens
End up producing RF (rheumatoid factors,these are proteins the body makes to attack healthy tissue) and anti-CCP
Why is smoking a risk factor in rheumatoid arthritis?
Smokers have higher levels of inflammatory proteins called cytokines in their body. Cytokines exagerate the inflamation caused by RA thus increaseing the damage done.
