Locomotor Flashcards
What is osteoarthritis?
A disorder of synovial joints, characterised by:
- focal areas of damage to the articular cartilage
- Remodelling of underlying bone and formation of osteophytes - new bone at joint margins
- Mild synovitis
Which areas of the body are most commonly affected by osteoarthritis?
Knees, hips and small joints of the hands (but any synovial joint can be affected)
How many people are affected by osteoarthritic joint pain in the UK?
8.5 million
What are the risk factors for osteoarthritis? (10)
- Genetic factors - heritability is around 40-60%, and the responsible genes are unknown
- Ageing
- Female sex
- Obesity
- High bone density - risk factor for development
- Low bone density - risk factor for progression
- Joint injury
- Occupational/recreational stressed on joints
- Joint laxity
- Joint malalignment
What are the complications associated with osteoarthritis?
Depending on the progression of the disease:
- Disability
- Inability to work
- Falls
- Psychosocial impact
What are the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis? (10)
Cardinal complaints: 1. Pain - worse at end of day 2. Restricted function/stiffness Others: 3. Gelling - pain/stiffness caused by inactivity 4. Bony swellings and joint deformity 5. Crepitus 6. Restricted ROM 7. Joint tenderness 8. Muscle wasting/weakness 9. Joint effusions 10. Instability
What symptoms would NOT indicate osteoarthritis?
- Symptoms occurring before middle age
- Symptoms that are related to inflammation rather than joint damage
- Many joints are problematic rather than a few
What are the differential diagnoses for all forms of osteoarthritis? (12)
- Inflammatory arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Gout
- Reactive arthritis
- Arthritis associated with SLE
- Fibromyalgia
- Septic arthritis
- Fractured bone
- Ligament damage
- Bursitis
- Cancer
What are the signs associated with osteoarthritis?
- Bouchards (proximal) and Heberden’s (distal) nodes
2. Fixed flexion deformity
What are the conservative ways of managing osteoarthritis?
- Lose weight
- Do less sport and rest more
- Physiotherapy
- Walking aids, supportive footwear, adapt home
What are the medical treatments for osteoarthritis? (4)
- Paracetamol
- NSAIDs - arthrotec - diclofenac and misoprostol
- Tramadol
- Joint injection of anaesthetic/steroids
What are the surgical options for treating osteoarthritis? (4)
- Arthroscopic washout
- Arthroplasty
- Osteotomy
- Arthrodesis
How will osteoarthritis appear on X-ray, and what is the acronym used to remember the signs?
LOSS
Loss of joint space (asymmetrical) - reflects thinning of the hyaline cartilage
Osteophytes
Subchondral sclerosis
Subchondral cysts - fluid filled micro-fractures
What is the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?
It is an autoimmune disease, in which:
- IgG forms against cartilage and rheumatoid factor (RF) (an IgM antibody) - forms against that IgG, leading to synovitis
- This eventually leads to pannus (deposits in the synovial membrane) and joint destruction
What is the definition of RA?
A chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterised by a symmetrical, deforming, peripheral polyarthritis