Osteoarthritis and Crystal Arthropathies Flashcards
how common is osteoarthritis (OA)?
1/3 of people over 45
1/2 people over 70
8 million people in UK
what does OA do?
destruction of articular cartilage
how does OA appear on X ray?
decrease in joint space
usually a space is sees as cartilage doesn’t appear, when cartilage lost, bone are tight together
what causes OA?
wear and tear in the joints
partly a consequence of ageing but many other risk factors
OA risk factors?
age female obesity previous injury (occupation, sports) muscle weakness proprioceptive deficits genetic elements acromegaly joint inflammation crystal deposition
4 components of cartilage?
water
chondrocytes
proteoglycan
collagen filaments
what can cause a solid, bony swelling in OA?
formation of osteophytes
what can cause secondary OA?
injury
calcium crystal deposition (pseudogout)
RA
etc
what jobs give increased OA risk/earlier presentation?
manual jobs (e.g farmers)
what joints does OA affect?
weight bearing joints
most commonly used joints (neck, thumb base)
does OA affect MCP joint?
generally no
OA vs RA sites?
RA can only affect C1 and C2
OA can affect whole spine
describe the clinical presentation of OA?
pain worse on activity and relieved by rest - can progress to become painful with little/no activity
morning stiffness lasting less than 30 mins
slow progression (years)
OA examination features?
crepitus (friction of bones)
joint swellings (osteophytes)
sometimes tenderness and effusion
clinical hand features of OA?
affects DIPs and CMC joint
not MCP
bony enlargements
squaring of hand
what are heberdens nodes?
bony enlargements at DIPs
what are bouchard’s nodes?
bony enlargements at PIPs
clinical knee features of OA?
osteophytes effusions crepitus restricted movement Genu varus/vlgus deformities bakers cyst (in popliteal fossa)
clinical hip features of OA?
pain may be felt in groin or radiating to knee
restricted hip movement
clinical spine features of OA?
cervical = pain and restriction of movement lumbar = pain on walking or standing
what causes spinal symptoms in OA?
destruction of IV discs
what is a possible complication of OA in the spine?
osteophytes can cause spinal stenosis if they encroach on spinal canal or pinch nerve root
how is OA diagnosed?
radiological - loss of joint space, subchondral sclerosis and cysts, osteophytes
clinical - mechanical pain, sites of pain, history etc
how is OA graded?
Kellgren-Lawrence
0 = no radiological findings
1 = minute osteophytes
2 = definite osteophytes with unimpaired joint space
3 = definite osteophytes with moderate joint space narrowing
4 = definite osteophytes with sever joint space narrowing and subchondral sclerosis
hands vs knees vs hips progression?
hands - pain often improves over 2 years
knees - 1/3 improves, 1/3 stays same, 1/3 gets worse
hip - 10% symptoms improve
non-pharmacological management of OA?
explanation - keep moving
physiotherapy
common sense - weight loss etc