MSK and Rheumatology Flashcards
What is osteoarthritis?
- Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related, dynamic reaction pattern of a joint in response to insult or injury.
- All tissues of the joint are involved, but primarily the articular cartilage.
What is the clinical presentation of osteoarthritis?
- Joint pain exacerbated by exercise
- Joint stiffness after rest (Including short-lived pain in the morning <30 mins)
- Bony swellings (on the distal interphalangeal are called Herberden’s nodes, on the proximal interphalangeal are called Bouchard’s nodes - both are more common in osteoarthritis).
- Deformity of joint/ surrounding structure.
- Crepitus (Describes popping, clicking and crackling sounds within the joint).
- Asymmetrical
What is the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis?
- Chondrocytes and inflammatory cells in the surrounding tissues release enzymes.
- These enzymes result in the breakdown of collagen and proteoglycans, subsequently the breakdown of articular cartilage.
- This exposes the subchondral bone which then becomes sclerosed.
- Bone is remodelled, resulting in the formation of osteophytes and subchondral cysts.
- Joint space is lost/narrowed over time.
What are the risk factors of osteoarthritis?
- Older age
- Female
- Obese
- Family history
- Trauma to joint
What are the diagnostic tests for osteoarthritis?
- DIAGNOSIS IS USUALLY CLINICAL.
- X-ray will show: Osteophytes, subchondral cysts, reduced joint space, subarticular sclerosis.
How is osteoarthritis treated?
1st line:
- Exercise/physio (increases joint lubrication, therefore decreasing pain).
- Topical analgesics, (NSAID’s such as diclofenac)
- Paracetamol.
2nd line:
- Corticosteroid injections (if NSAIDS/paracetamol are not sufficient or contraindicated).
If pain persists despite multiple treatment modalities, or patient has severe disability:
- Surgery (joint replacement).
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
- Chronic inflammatory disease.
- Affects the small joints of the hands and feet
What is the clinical presentation of rheumatoid arthritis?
- Tender and swollen joints.
- Active symmetrical arthritis lasting >6 weeks.
- Joint pain on touch.
- > 1 hour of morning stiffness.
- Characteristic deformities: Swan neck, Boutonnière deformity, ulnar deviation, rheumatoid nodules.
What is the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis?
- Inflammation of the synovium.
- Angiogenesis, cellular hyperplasia, influx of inflammatory cells (both innate and specific ones), cytokine secretion (TNF-a, IL1 and IL6).
- Locally invasive synovial tissue forms (called a “pannus”).
- Pannus causes the the bony erosions typically seen in RA.
What are the risk factors associated with rheumatoid arthritis?
- HLA DR4 and HLA DR1 make a person susceptible to rheumatoid arthritis.
- Family history.
- Smoking.
What are the tests used to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?
1st line: RF. If this comes back negative but RA still suspected, use anti-CCP (more accurate).
X-ray: If bony erosions seen, prognosis is significantly worse.
How is rheumatoid arthritis treated?
1st line:
- Methotrexate or hydroxychloroquine (DMARD).
- Prednisolone (corticosteroid).
2nd line:
- Add a biological agent such as infliximab (TNF-a inhibitor).
For acute flares: Corticosteroid injections such as methylprednisolone acetate, or NSAIDS such as ibuprofen.
What are the complications of rheumatoid arthritis?
- Work disability.
- Increased mortality
- CVD risk increased
What are the differential diagnoses for RA? How are they different?
- PA (usually has psoriasis too)
- SLE (arthritis seen in SLE doesn’t normally cause deformations).
- OA (Gets WORSE with movement, and is usually asymmetrical).
What is osteoporosis?
- Progressive skeletal disease with reduced bone density and micro-deterioration of the bones.
- Results in increased susceptibility to fracture and increased bone fragility.
OSTEOMALACIA IS REDUCED MINERALISATION OF BONES DUE TO VIT D DEFICIENCY.
OSTEOPOROSIS IS REDUCED OVERALL BONE DENSITY.
What is the clinical presentation of osteoporosis?
- Often the first sign is fracture, typically of the neck of the femur.
- Micro-fractures in the thoracic vertebrae over time may lead to kyphosis of the spine, and back pain.
What are all the different pathophysiologies of osteoporosis?
Varied and depends on the root cause. For example:
- Coeliac (impaired calcium absorption in gut).
- RA (disrupts bone remodelling)
- Hyperparathyroidism (increases bone resorption).
There are many other causes too…
What are the causes/risk factors of osteoporosis?
SHATTERED:
- Steroid use
- Hyperthyroidism/parathyroidism
- Alcohol and tobacco
- Thin
- Testosterone LOW
- Early meopause
- Renal or liver failure
- Erosive/inflammatory bone disease
- Dietary calcium decrease/ DM type 1.
What are the tests used to diagnose osteoporosis?
- Bone mass density assessment (DEXA scan)
- T score < or = -2.5 indicates osteoporosis
- -1 > T score > -2.5 indicates osteopenia
- If there are ALSO micro-fractures present, indicates severe osteoporosis.
What treatment is given for osteoporosis?
1st line:
- Alendronic acid (biphosphonates).
- Calcium and calciferol (vitamin D) supplementation.
2nd line:
- Denosumab. This is a RANK ligand inhibitor.
What are the main complications of osteoporosis?
- Recurrent fractures (especially hip/rib).
- Chronic pain.
What is osteomalacia?
What is rickets?
- Metabolic bone disease.
- Deficient bone mineralisation WITHOUT LOSS OF BONE MATRIX (as seen in osteoporosis).
- Rickets is the same pathophysiology, but occurs prior to growth plate closure.
What is the clinical presentation of osteomalacia?
- Fractures (especially long bones such as the femur).
- Bone pain at the typical fracture sites.
- Signs of vit. D or calcium deficiency.
What is the pathophysiology of osteomalacia/rickets?
- Depends on the causative mechanism.
- Low vit. D and/or calcium causes growth plate disorganisation (rickets) or deficient mineralisation of the bone (osteomalacia).
- CKD causes increased FGF-23 release. This stimulates increased calcium excretion, increased phosphate retention, decreased vit. D production.
- KEY DIFFERENCE: OSTEOPOROSIS WILL SEE OVERALL LOSS OF BONY MATRIX, OSTEOMALACIA IS JUST DEMINERALISATION RATHER THAN LOSS OF BONE MATRIX ITSELF.
What are the risk factors of osteomalacia?
- Calcium/vit D deficiency.
- Malabsorption disorder (e.g. coeliac).
- Malnutrition.
- CKD.
- Hyperparathyroidism.
- Low sunlight.
What diagnostic tests are used for osteomalacia?
- Serum calcium. Low or normal.
- 25-hydroxyvitamin-D. Less than 25 nanomol/L indicates high risk of osteomalacia.
- Raised ALP.
GOLD STANDARD: Bone X-ray to assess for defective mineralisation.
What is the treatment for osteomalacia?
1st line:
- Ergocalciferol (source of vitamin D)
AND
- Calcium carbonate/calcium citrate (source of calcium).
What is Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)?
- A multi-systemic autoimmune disease.
- It is characterised by the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in the patient’s serum.
What are key signs/symptoms of SLE?
Key symptoms/signs:
- Malar (butterfly) rash (also photosensitive).
- Arthralgia.
- Fatigue.
What is the pathophysiology of SLE?
What type of hypersensitivity reaction?
- Autoimmune disorder. ANA (anti-nuclear antibodies) produced.
- Cell necrosis increased, and clearance of apoptosed material is decreased.
- Further stimulates autoimmune processes and production of ANAs.
- Type III hypersensitivity disorder.
What are the risk factors of SLE?
- Female
- 30-70 YO
- FH
What are the potential complications of SLE?
- Thrombocytopenia
- Leukopenia
- Anaemia
What are the investigations carried out on a patient with suspected SLE?
- ANA testing. Positive suggests SLE
- If positive, then an anti dsDNA test is done. If elevated, suggests SLE.
- ESR/CRP (ESR is raised, CRP normal as SLE is an autoimmune disease).
What is the treatment for a patient with SLE?
1st line:
- Avoid sunlight and smoking.
- Give hydroxychloroquine (DMARD)
- Naproxen (NSAID) for arthralgia.
What is SLE short for?
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
What are the two types of crystal arthropathy?
- Gout
- Pseudogout
What is gout?
Hyperuricaemia resulting in the deposition of urate crystals in the joints.
What is the clinical presentation of gout?
- A joint becomes swollen, extremely tender and erythematous.
- Usually affects 4 or less joints.
- Presence of tophi (uric acid crystal depositions in the skin/joint surfaces).
- Usually seen in the metatarsalphalangeal joint of the big toe.
- “One of the most painful acute conditions human beings can experience”.
What is the pathophysiology of gout?
- Purine broken down into urate via xanthine oxidase enzymes.
- Uric acid is excreted renally. However, if too much is in the blood (hyperuricaemia), it precipitates in the joints causing gout.
What are the potential complications of hyperuricaemia other than gout?
- Nephropathy (CKD risk increased)
- Nephrolithiasis.
What are the risk factors associated with gout?
- Male
- Meat/seafood consumption
- Alcohol
- Genetic predisposition.
What are the investigations used for gout?
- Arthrocentesis (joint aspiration) + synovial fluid analysis.
- Will show NEGATIVELY BIFRINGENT NEEDLE CRYSTALS.
- “N+N”
How is gout treated?
Acute attack:
Analgesia: naproxen (NSAID), prednisolone injection (corticosteroid) and/or colchicine.
Chronic management: Allopurinol (xanthine oxidase inhibitor).
What is pseudogout?
- Deposition of calcium pyrophosphate crystals within the joints.
What is the clinical presentation of pseudogout?
- Moderate joint pain (not as bad as gout).
- Larger joints typically involved (knee most common).
What is the pathophysiology of pseudogout?
Excess of calcium in the blood, which is then deposited as calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joint.
What are the risk factors for pseudogout?
- Hyperparathyroidism (high calcium)
- Old age.
- Joint injury.
What is the investigation used to diagnose pseudogout definitively?
- Arthrocentesis (joint aspiration) + synovial fluid analysis.
- Will show positively bifringent, rhomboid shaped crystals.
What is the treatment for pseudogout?
1st line:
- Dexamethasone injection (corticosteroids)
- Naproxen (NSAIDs) if systemic polyarticular.
Preventative measures:
- Potentially low-dose colchicine.