Multi-System Autoimmune Disease Flashcards
What is the gold-standard modality for diagnosis of a lot of autoimmune diseases?
Biopsies
Autoimmune diseases are diagnosed by exclusion.
What are some of the things that autoimmune conditions can mimic?
Malignancies
Infectons- endocarditis, Hep.B and C, HIV
Use of which drug can mimic symptoms of/cause autoimmune disease?
Cocaine
Minocycline
How can infection be eliminated from diagnosis?
Blood cultures
How can malignancy be excluded from diagnosis?
Screening/scanning
Who tends to get Lupus?
Female > male
Onset 15-15yrs
Ethnicity: Afro-Caribbean > Asian > Caucasian
Causes of lupus?
Genetics
Environmental; drugs, infections and UV light
Hormones
->patients with lupus may develop a flare of their lupus in response to UV light
Pathogenesis of lupus?
Immune response against endogenous nuclear antigens
Immune complex formation an complement activation leading to tissue injury
Clinical signs of lupus?
Butterfly rash
Fever
Depression
Alopecia
Myopathy
Abdominal pain
Heart; pericarditis, endocarditis, aortic heart lesions
NS; ataxia, hemiplegia
Raynaud’s
Arthritis in small joints
Classification criteria (not diagnostic) can point towards a diagnosis of Lupus.
A patient needs any four of the following:
Butterfly/malar rash
Discoid rash
Photosensitivity
Oral ulcers
Arthritis
Serositis
Renal (significant proteuria or cellular casts)
Neurological (unexplained seizures or psychosis)
Haematological (low WCC, platelets, haemolytic anaemia)
Immunological
ANA
->so 4//11, just read through for general idea
Kidney function really important if suspecting lupus.
What investigation needs to be done if suspcious?
Urine dip
->kidney involvement may be first sign of Lupus but can progress at any time during Lupus so need to keep an eye on kidney function
Just read through this general presentation of lupus x
Women of childbearing age
Fever, weight loss, malaise, severe fatigue
Skin rsh
Arthritis
Pleuritic chest pain
Renal disease
Cytopenia
Autoantibodies can be seen in 95% of patients but what is important to remember>?
Not specific for lupus
5-15% of healthy population has ANA too
->however, negative ANAs means <3% chance of Lupus
Which other autoanbodies should be considered in lupus?
Anti-ds DNA- highly specific
Anti-Sm- highly specific
Anti-Ro- neonatal lupus
Antiphospholipid antibodies
Scleraderma?
Chronic hardening and contraction of the skin and connective tissue
Two types of scleraderma?
Systemic
Localised
->localised scleroderma associated with good prognosis
What does sclerderma look like?
Google but similar to browny bruises kind of
Who tends to get systemic scelrosis?
Female > male (3:1)
Onset- 30-50yrs
Causes of systemic sclerosis?
Environmental; silica dust, solvents, viral infections
Genetic predisposition
Pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis?
Vascular damage
Immune system activation
Fibrosis
What tends to be the presenting symptom of a patient with systemic sclerosis?
Raynauds
->tends to occur in children and teenagers so not then but with a new presentation
What antibodies are positive in limited systemic sclerosis?
Anti-centromere antibodies
What antibodies are positive in diffuse systemic sclerosis?
Anti Scl17 antibodies
What are some of the features of limited systemic sclerosis?
Pulmonary hypertension
GI symptoms
What are some of the features of diffuse systemic sclerosis?
Pulmonary fibrosis
Renal crisis
Small bowel bacteria overgrowth
Who is more likely to get Sjogren’s syndrome?
Female > male
40-50 yrs