MSK general / rheum Flashcards
What is osteoarthritis?
Breakdown of the joint cartilages due to wear and tear meaning the bones rub together. This presents with pain and stiffness in the joints
What joints are commonly affected by osteoarthritis?
Hips, knees, sacro-iliac joints, hands ( DIP and CMC), wrists, lumbar spine, cervical spine (cervical spondylosis)
What are the X-ray signs of osteoarthritis?
(L)oss of joint space
(O)steophytes (bony spurs)
(S)ubarticular sclerosis (increased bone density)
(S)ubcondral cysts (fluid filled holes in the bone)
What are risk factors for osteoarthritis?
Obesity old age occupation (e.g. manual labour) trauma family history female
What are the common symptoms of osteoarthritis?
- Stiffness in joint (commonly unilateral)- generally worse with movement and at the end of the day
- Pain in joint
- Crepitus / grinding
- Restricted range of movement
- joint effusions
What signs in the hands indicate osteoarthritis?
Heberden's nodes (DIP joint swelling) Bouchards nodes (PIP joint swelling) Squaring at the base of the thumb (carpometacarpal joint)
How is osteoarthritis managed?
Weight loss Physiotherapy Occupational therapy Analgesia (paracetamol, NSAIDS, opiates) Steroid injections (only work temporarily) Joint replacement
What is often co prescribed with an NSAID and why?
A proton pump inhibitor such as lansoprazole to decrease risk of gastritis and peptic ulcers.
What are some side effects of NSAIDS?
GI side effects - gastritis and peptic ulcers
Renal - AKI
Cardio - hypertension, heart failure, MI
Exacerbates asthma
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Autoimmune condition causing chronic inflammation of the synovial lining of joints, tendons and bursa. It is normally symmetrical and affects multiple joints
What are risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis?
- smoking
- obesity
- female
- family history
What is the most common gene associated with rheumatoid arthritis?
HLA DR4
What antibodies can be tested for that indicate rheumatoid arthritis?
Anti - CCP (cyclic citrullinated peptide)
Rheumatoid factor
Rheumatoid factor
How does rheumatoid arthritis typically present?
- Symmetrical joint pain, swelling and stiffness
- Is normally worse in the mornings >30 mins and improves with activity
- Systemic systems such as fatigue, weight loss, muscle aches
What joints are commonly affected by rheumatoid arthritis?
Small joints of the hands and feet (MCP , PIP, MTP)
Wrists and ankles
Cervical spine
Can also affect large joints such as the knees, hips and shoulders
What signs in the hands indicate rheumatoid arthritis?
Swan neck deformity
Boutonnieres deformity
Ulnar deviation of the knuckles
Z shaped deformity of the thumb
What is felty’s syndrome?
Rheumatoid arthritis, neutropenia and splenomegaly
What are the X-ray changes seen in rheumatoid arthritis?
Joint deformity
Bony marginal erosions
Soft tissue swelling
Periarticular osteopenia
What are some extra-articular manifestations of RA?
- pulmonary fibrosis
- felty’s syndrome ( RA, neutropenia and splenomegaly)
- Sjogrens syndrome
- Anaemia of chronic disease
- CVD
- eye conditions
- rheumatoid nodules
- lymphadenopathy
- amyloidosis
- bronchilolitis obliterans
- caplan syndrome (pulmonary nodules if exposed to coal, silica or asbestos)
What investigations are done to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis?
- antibodies - rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP
- inflammatory markers - CRP and ESR
- X-rays
- ultrasound / MRI for synovitis
What scoring system is used to monitor RA?
DAS28 (disease activity score)
What is the management for rheumatoid arthritis?
- DMARDs (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) such as methotrexate or sulfasalazine.
- Steroids can be used in flare ups.
- If still not controlled can add other medications - biologics - such as a TNF inhibitor (infliximab) or rituximab.
- surgery if severe disease
What are the risks of using biological therapies such as infliximab or rituximab?
Cause immunosuppression
Can cause reactivation of dormant infections (e.g. TB and Hep B)
What is osteoporosis?
Reduction in mineral density of bones, reducing strength and making them more prone to fractures.
What are the risk factors for osteoporosis?
Old age Female (particularly post menopause) Reduced mobility and activity Low BMI (<18.5) Rheumatoid arthritis Alcohol and smoking Certain medications (long term corticosteroids, PPIs, anti-epileptics, SSRIs etc.)
Why are post menopausal women at a higher risk of osteoporosis?
Oestrogen is protective against osteoporosis. Levels of oestrogen fall post menopause.
How is bone mineral density measured?
Using a DEXA scan.
What is the difference between osteopenia and osteoporosis?
Osteopenia is a less severe reduction in bone density than osteoporosis
How is osteoporosis managed?
Activity and exercise Maintain a healthy weight Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake Avoid falls Stop smoking and reduce alcohol consumption Medications - bisphosphonates Hormone replacement therapy if suitable
How to bisphosphonates work for osteoporosis?
Reduce osteoclasts activity, present reabsorption (breakdown) or the bone.
What are some key side effects of bisphosphonates?
GORD (reflux)
Atypical fractures
Osteonecrosis (of jaw or external auditory canal)
What is an example of a bisphosphonate?
Alendroate
Risedronate
Zoledronic acid
What is gout?
A condition where excess uric acid causes urate crystals to be deposited in the joint causing it to become acutely hot, swollen and painful.
What are gouty tophi?
Subcutaneous uric acid crystals - typically seen on hands, elbows and ears.
What is an important differential to gout?
Septic arthritis
What joints are most commonly affected by gout?
Hands
Base of thumb (CMC) / big toe (MTP)
Wrists
But can also affect bigger joints such as the knee and ankle.
What are some risk factors for gout?
Male Obesity High purine diet (meat and seafood) Alcohol Diuretics (particularly thiazide) CVD or kidney diseases
How is gout diagnosed?
Joint aspiration - will show urate crystals.
These are needle shaped and negatively birefringent of polarised light.
Joint X-RAY
What are the XRAY changed seen in gout?
- joint space is often maintained
- lytic lesions
- punches out erosions with sclerotic borners and overhanging edges
How is an acute flare up of gout managed?
1st line - NSAIDs (co prescribe with PPI)
2nd line - colchicine (used if patient has CKD or heart disease)
3rd line - oral steroids (prednisolone)
What is the prophylaxis for gout?
Allopurinol - works to reduce uric acid levels. Ensure to start this after the initial flare has been managed.
Lifestyle changes - losing weight, keeping hydrated, reduce alcohol consumption and eating less purine backed foods (meat and seafood)
What is sciatica?
Irritation of the sciatic nerve.
What are the symptoms of sciatica?
Unilateral pain (shooting) from the buttock radiating to the back of the thigh to the knee or foot.
Pins and needles
Motor weakness
Lower back pain
What is bilateral sciatica a red flag of?
Cauda equina syndrome
What nerve roots make up the sciatic nerve?
L4 - S3
What are the main causes of sciatica?
Lumbrosacral nerve compression due to
- herniated disc
- spondylolisthesis
- spinal stenosis
What is spondylolisthesis?
Anterior displacement of a vertebrae compared to the one below.
What cancers commonly metastasise to bones?
Prostate Renal Thyroid Breast Lung (Spells out PoRTaBLe)
What are causes of mechanical back pain?
Muscle or ligament sprain Facet or sacroiliac joint dislocation Herniated disc Spondylolisthesis Scoliosis Degenerative changes (arthritis)
How is mechanical back pain managed?
Analgesia - normally NSAIDs
Stay active - mobilising the spine
Improve posture
Physiotherapist