MSK Flashcards
What is synovitis and what are some common causes ?
It is an inflammation of a synovial membrane
It can be a feature of arthritis in which there is active inflammation.
Common causes include :
RA
Gout
Sometimes OA
Define stiffness and explain its clinical significance of early morning stiffness ?
Stiffness is slowness or difficulty moving one or more joints.
Early morning stiffness is used to describe stiffness on getting out of bed or staying in one position.
It is an indicator of inflammatory arthritis.
Stiffness which is generalised and lasts more than 30 minutes on waking up is a feature of RA.
What are the likely causes of limited or painful active movement but with full, pain-free passive movement ?
The range of passive movement of a joint is usually higher than what the person can achieve themselves through active movement.
As passive movement does not require the person to use their own nerves, muscles and tendons to produce movement, a reduction in passive range or pain on passive movement indicates a problem with the joint itself.
In active movement muscles and tendons function. Therefore if there is a problem with the muscles and tendons there would be a reduced range of movement and / or pain on active movement only.
What are the mechanical symptoms of the knee ?
Symptoms such as locking or catching of the knee on movement were traditionally thought to indicate a mechanical problem with the knee such as a loose body or meniscal tear obstructing the knee. However it is thought know that this is common in knee disease even without obstruction.
What is bursitis of the knee and how does it differentiate from knee effusion ?
Like other joints the knee is surrounded by small fluid filled sacs called bursae which reduce friction between moving tendons and provide cushioning for the joint.
By contrast a knee effusion is swelling due to excess synovial fluid in the joint capsule itself. In knee effusion fluid can be moved across the knee ( bulge test ) and pressure over the patella causes fluid to move ( patellar tap ).
In bursitis the swelling is localised to the bursa that is affected.
Which causes of hip pain would tend to produce pain in anterior, lateral and posterior hip area ?
Anterior - true hip pain - OA
Lateral - trochanteric bursitis
Posterior - lumbosacral spine or gluteal muscles
What are the clinical features of plantar fasciitis ?
Typically causes pain at the insertion of the plantar fascia into the calcaneum. It tends to occur in people who spend a lot of time on their feet.
Pain is marked with the first few steps on getting out of bed and then worsens again to the end of the day.
What is metatarsalgia ?
Pain in the mid-foot and has a wide range of causes
What are the clinical features of gout ?
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis due to uric acid crystal deposition in the joint. It usually affects the great toe and is often recurrent. It has a rapid onset of severe pain and often causes swelling.
What is a painful arch ?
Painful arch is pain in the mid-range ( 45 - 120 degrees ) of abduction of the shoulder which eases with greater range of abduction.
It indicates impingement of the shoulder in the sub-acromial space with movement. The pain is felt more on active movement than passive.
Other than shoulder pathology what can cause pain in the shoulders ?
Referred pain from the neck - cervical spine radiculopathy
MI or angina
Pancoast’s tumour
Polymyalgia rheumatica
How does the appearance of OA and RA differ in the hands ?
OA - heberdens nodes in the distal IP joints
RA - acute episodes which usually affect the proximal IP joints, metacarphalangeal and wrist joints.
In chronic disease you see ulnar deviation of the fingers, swan neck and boutonnière deformities.
What is tennis elbow ?
Lateral epicondylitis - suspect if pain in lateral elbow with tenderness over the common extensor origin
What is golfer’s elbow ?
Medial epicondylitis - suspect if pain in medial elbow with tenderness over the common flexor origin
What is OA ?
A disease of the synovial joints which is due to a loss of articular cartilage and overgrowth of underlying bone.
What joints are most likely affected in OA ?
Knee
Hips
Small hand joints
What is seen on X-ray in OA ?
Loss of joint space
Osteophytes
Subchondral sclerosis
Sub-cortical cysts
What is the management of OA ?
Etoricoxib 60mg/day and Diclofenac 250mg/day seem to be the most effective oral NSAIDs for pain and function in patients with OA.
Topical Diclofenac 70-81 mg/day
What is the presentation of RA ?
Insidious polyarthritis characterised by inflammatory changes in the synovial membranes and articular structures leading to deformity and ankylosis.
Typically the small joints are affected
How does RA present ?
Insidious polyarthritis
Typically small joints of the hand and feet
Symmetrical
What are the clinical features of RA ?
Pain
Swelling
Stiffness
Weight loss
Fatigue
Malaise
What are some differentials for RA ?
Viral arthritis
Reactive arthritis
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Gout
OA
Septic arthritis
Fibromyalgia
What are some investigations for RA ?
Examination
ESR or CRP
Presence of rheumatoid factor
Anti-CCP antibodies
Anticitrilline anitbodies
Urinalysis
What is the medical management of RA ?
DMARD
Biologics
Methotrexate
Pain relief
When should you refer a patient to rheumatology urgently if suspecting RA ?
Small joints of hands or feet are affected
More than one joint affected
What is the pathogenesis of RA ?
It is autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the synovial membrane of the mainly small joints causing inflammation.
What is gout ?
A painful and potentially disabling form of inflammatory arthritis. It is a disorder of purine metabolism characterised by hyperuricaemia and the deposition of mono sodium urate crystals in articular or peri-articular tissues and in the renal tract.
What are the risk factors for gout ?
Hyperuricaemia
Gender - men
Diet
Alcohol
Drugs
Obesity
What are some clinical features of gout ?
Rapid onset of severe pain
Redness and swelling
Tophi
Most commonly 1 or both metatarsophalangeal joints
What investigations can be made for gout ?
Serum urate
Aspiration of the synovial fluid
Radiology
Leucocytosis and raised ESR and CRP during the acute attack
What are some differentials for gout ?
Infection - cellulitis, septic bursitis
RA
Bunion