MSK: Part 3 Flashcards
What is Scleroderma
Systemic Scloerosis: Multisystem disease with involvement of skin and Raynauds
How does Systemic Sclerosis distinguish itself from localised scleroderma such as morphed
Latter: Do not involve organ disease and no vasospasm (Raynauds)
What gender does Scleroderma effect
Females
Peak incidence of Scleroderma
Between 30 and 50
Is Scleroderma common in children
No
Risk factors for Scleroderma
- Exposure to vinyl chloride, silica dust, adulterated rapeseed oil and trichloroethylene
- Drugs such as bleomycin
- Genetic
Pathophysiology for Scleroderma
- Widespread vascular damage involving small arteries, arterioles and capillaries is an early feature
Initial stage of scleroderma
- Initial endothelial damage with release of cytokines (endothelia-1) = VASOCONSTRICTION
What does continued vascular damage and increased vascular permeability and activation of endothelial cells lead to
- Upregulation of adhesion molecules: E-selectin, VCAM and intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1)
- Cell Adhesion: T and B cells, monocytes and neutrophils
- Migration of cells through leaky endothelium and into extracellular space
What do these cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions stimulate
Production of cytokines and growth factors which mediate PROLIFERATION and ACTIVATION of vascular and connective tissue cells - particularly fibroblasts
What mediators activate fibroblasts
IL1, 4, 6, 8, TGF-B and PDGF
What do fibroblasts secrete in Scleroderma
- Increased quantities of COLLAGEN TYPE I + 2
Consequence of secreted COLLAGEN TYPE I + 2
Fibrosis in lower dermis of the skin and internal organs
What is the end-product of scleroderma
- Uncontrolled and irreversible proliferation of connective tissue and thickening of vascular walls with narrowing of the lumen
- Damage to small blood vessels produces widespread obliterative arterial lesions and chronic ischaemia
Clinical presentation of Scleroderma
- RAYNAUDS
- Limited cutaneous scleroderma (CREST SYNDROME)
- Diffuse cutaneous scleroderma (30% of cases)
What is limited cutaneous scleroderma
- Starts with Raynaud’s for many years BEFORE skin changes
- Skin involvement limited to hands, face, feet and forearms
- Skin is tight over fingers and causes flexion deformities
- Face and skin produce beak-like nose and small mouth (microstomia)
- Painful digital ulcers and telangiectasia (spider veins on the skin)
- Oesophageal dysmotility or strictures
Why was it previously called CREST syndrome
- Calcinosus (calcium deposits in subcutaneous tissue)
- Raynauds
- Oesophageal Dysmotility or strictures
- Sclerodactyly (tightness of skin)
- Telenagiectasia (spider veins)
Why is Diffuse cutaneous scloerderma different to limited cutaneous scleroderma
Skin changes more rapidly and more widespread
What organs are involved in diffuse cutaneous scleroderma
- GI
- Renal
- Lung
- Heart
GI involvement in diffuse scleroderma
- Oesophagus loses strength and dilates = heartburn and dysphagia
- Small intestines loses strength and dilates = bacterial overgrowth and malabsorption
- Colon has pseudo-obstruction
Renal involvement in diffuse scleroderma
- Acute and CKD
2. Acute hypertensive crisis is a complication of renal involvement
Lung disease in diffuse scleroderma
- Fibrosis
- Pulmonary vascular disease
- Pulmonary hypertension
Herat in diffuse scleroderma
Arrhythmias and conduction disturbances due to myocardial fibrosis
Diagnostics for Scleroderma
- FBC
- Urinalysis
- CXR
- Hand X-ray
- Barium swallow
- High res CT
Test results in FBA for scleroderma
- Normochromic, normocytic anaemia
- Microangiographic haemolytic anaemia
- Urea and creatine rise in acute kidney injury
4, Autoantibodies - Rheumatoid factor positive in 30%
- ANA positive
What antibodies are found n Limited cutaneous scleroderma
- Speckled, nucleolar or ANTI-CENTROMERE ANTIBODIES (ACAs) - 70% cases
What antibodies are found in Diffuse cutaneous scleroderma
- Anti-topoisomerase-1 antibodies
2. Anti-RNA polymerase
What would urinalysis show in scleroderma
Albumin/creatinine ratio
What would CXR show in scleroderma
Exclude other pathologies (e.g. cardiomegaly)
What would hand x-ray show in scleroderma
- See deposits of calcium around fingers
What would Barium Swallow show in scleroderma
- Confirms impaired oesophageal motility
What does high res CT show in scleroderma
Confirm fibrotic lung involvement
How is scleroderma treated
NO CURE:
Raynauds: Hand warmers and ORAL VASODILATORS
Oesophagus: LANSOPRAZOLE
Nutrition supplement for malabsorption
ACE Inhibitor: RAMIPRIL
Early detection of pulmonary hypertension
What oral vasodilator is given for raynauds
Calcium channel blocker: ORAL NIFEDIPINE
Endothelia receptor antagonist: ORAL BOSENTAN
How is pulmonary fibrosis caused in scleroderma treated
IMMUNOSUPRESSION: IV CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE
ORAL PREDNISOLONE
What is polymyositis
RARE muscle disorder of unknown aetiology in which there is inflammation and necrosis of skeletal muscle fibres
What is Polymyositis called when it effects the skin
DERMATOMYOSITIS
What organ can be effected in POLYMYOSITIS
Lungs = interstitial lung disease
What gender does polymyositis effect
Females
What viruses can cause POLYMYOSITIS
Coxsackie
Rubella
Influenza
Clinical presentation of POLYMYOSITIS
- Symmetrical progressive muscle weakness and wasting affecting muscles of shoulder and pelvic girdle
- Patients struggle squatting, going upstairs, rising from a chair and raising hands above their heads
- Pain and tenderness are uncommon
- Involvement of pharyngeal, laryngeal and respiratory muscles can lead to dysphagia and respiratory failure
Clinical presentation of DERMATOMYOSITIS
- Purple discolouration of eyelids and scaly erythematous plaques all over the knuckles (GOTTRON’s PAPULES)
- Arthralgia, dysphagia resulting from oesophageal muscle involvement and RAYNAUDS
- Increased incidence of malignancy
Diagnostics of MYOSITIS
- MUSCLE biopsy
- FBC
- Electromyography
- MRI
Role of Muscle biopsy
Shows fibre necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltrates - CONFIRMS
What would FBC show in MYOSITIS
- ESR NOT raised
- Serum antibodies:
ANA positive
Rheumatoid factor positive in 50%
Myositis-specific antibodies
What does an EMG show in MYOSITIS
Typical muscle changes
What does an MRI show for myositis
Abnormally inflamed muscles
How is MYOSITIS treated
- Bed rest helpful with excersise
- ORAL PREDNISOLONE
- HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE helps with skin disease
What early intervention can be given for MYOSITIS
- ORAL AZATHIOPRINE
- ORAL METHOTREXATE
- ORAL CICLOSPORIN
When is ORAL PREDNISOLONE STOPPED in myositis
Continued until at least 1 month after myositis has become clinically and enzymatically inactive then tapered down SLOWLY