LOCO Revision6 Flashcards
HLA B27 is associated with
Rheumatoid arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis
This picture depicts
Rheumatoid arthritis
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Osteoporosis Vertebral bone with osteoporosis demonstrates decreased bone mass with fewer and narrower bony spicules.
What is the name for this sign of dermatomyositis? [1]
Gottron sign: red, thickened, scaly skin over the knuckles
This rash is likely to be sign of:
Scleroderma
Ankylosing spondylitis
Dermatomyositis
SLE
Dermatomyositis: purple rash around eye lids and face
Describe the difference in pathology of calcinosis between scleroderma and dermatomyositis [1]
systemic sclerosis: vascular hypoxia
dermatomyositis: release of calcium from mitochondria in muscle cells damaged by myopathy
Inflammation of the middle layer of the eye is a complication of:
Scleroderma
Ankylosing spondylitis
Dermatomyositis
SLE
Ankylosing spondylitis: anterior uveitis
Describe the onset of ankylosing spondylitis [5]
Onset of back discomfort before age 40
Insidious onset
Duration longer than 3 months
Associated with morning stiffness
Improvement with exercise
95% of patients with ankylosing spondylitis have which gene? [1]
HLA B27
Why is AS referred to as a seronegative spondyloarthropathy? [2]
Lack of rheumatoid factor positivity
Abscence of specific antibodies
Describe the symptoms of SLE
90% of patients have arthritis:
* symmetrical small joint polyarticular arthiritis (most common)
* jaccoud arthropathy (rare)
* avascular necrosis
Fatigue
Weight loss
arthralgia
myalgia
fever
butterfly rash: gets worse with sunlight
shortness of breath
hair loss
Describe the pathophysiology of Scleroderma [1]
Autoimmune inflammatory and fibrotic connective tissue disease: immune mediated damage to vascular stuctures and excessive synthesis and depostion of extracellular martrix like collagen.
Cause chronic fibrosis, scarring and damage to organs
Cause of condition unknown
What are the two main patterns of disease in scleroderma? [2]
Limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis / scleroderma: aka CREST syndrome
Diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis / scleroderma: progressive organ dysfunction due to fibrosis
Describe skin changes seen in scleroderma [8]
Pruritus (usually early)
‘Puffy’ appearance due to oedema (often seen in digits)
‘Salt and pepper’ appearance: due to hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation
Loss of hair
Dryness
Changes to capillaries in nail bed: may only be seen with special dermatoscope (Capillaroscopy)
Atrophy of subcutaneous tissue
Ulcerations: may be seen over joints due to tight skin or on finger tips
Telangiectasia: abnormal dilation of capillary
Calcinosis: calcium deposits in the skin
Perioral skin tightening with decreased oral opening: gives rise to a ‘pursed-string’ appearance
Describe a phenomenon associated with scleroderma [1]
Raynaud phenomenon: skin colour changes that occur in the fingers and toes from vasospasm.
Desribe the characteristic features of CREST syndrome [5]
C - calcinosis: calcium deposits in the skin
R - Raynaud phenomenon
E - oEsophageal dysmotility: swallowing difficulty
S - sclerodactyly: skin thickening and hardening affecting the fingers and toes
T - telangiectasia: dilated capillaries. Usually appear on face, palms and mucous membranes
State the clinical definition of dermatomyositis [1]
Autoimmune myopathy characterised by symmetric proximal muscle weakness and rash
What is the key investigation for diagnosing dermatomyositis? [1]
Creatine kinase blood test: inflammation in the muscle cells (myositis) leads to release of creatine kinase.
Normal creatine kinase levels are 300 U/L; in dermatomyositis is usually over 1000 U/L
What are skin features of dermatoymyositis? [5]
Gottron lesions (scaly erythematous patches) on the knuckles, elbows and knees
Photosensitive erythematous rash on the back, shoulders and neck
Purple rash on the face and eyelids
Periorbital oedema (swelling around the eyes)
Subcutaneous calcinosis (calcium deposits in the subcutaneous tissue)
Which are the key joints effected by AS? [2]
Sacroiliac joint
Joints of the vertebral column
How do you treat AS?
Conventional analgesia / NSAIDs:
* Naproxen
* Ibuprofen
* Celecoxib
Convetional DMARDs: although not much evidence for
Sulphasalazine, methotrexate
Biological DMARDs
State how a usual AS patient presents
- Lower back pain and stiffness and sacroiliac pain in the buttock region.
- The pain and stiffness is worse with rest and improves with movement
- The pain is worse at night and in the morning and may wake them from sleep.
- It takes at least 30 minutes for the stiffness to improve in the morning and it gets progressively better with activity throughout the day.