RA - ONLINE MATERIAL Flashcards

1
Q

Associated gene polumorphisms

A
  • Class II MHC: HLA-DR/P/Q/M -> 30% of genetic risk
  • Class III MHCL TNF, C4, HS-70
  • Hormone related genes: Prolactin, estrogen synthase, estrogen receptor, Corticoprotin RH
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2
Q

Suite: non MHC related genes

A
  • Lymphocyte associated: TCR, B cell, CTLA-4
  • cytokine and cytokine receptors: TNF, CCR5, IL10, IL1, IL3
  • othersL MBL, MMP3, NRAMP1
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3
Q

Etiology: association with DRB1

A
  • infectious agent in synovium
  • arthritogenic antigen : cross reactivity with self
  • continues presence of super antigen from EPV or MB TB
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4
Q

Etiology: other possibilityes

A
  • altered/aberrant T cell repertoire
  • inability of Treg to control clonal expansion
  • B cell etiology - antiarticular response
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5
Q

Etiology: cyclic citrullinated peptides

A
  • anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies
  • citrullination is part of normal cell death but damage accelerates it. Its caused by deimidation of arginin via PADI enzyme which increases calcium
  • PADI unfolds proteins for easy degradation
  • includes cytoskeletal vimentin
  • leakage of citrullinated peptides and PADI
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6
Q

Acute changed in RA

A
  • increased vascular flow: oedema, fibrin rice bodies
  • endothelial activation: increased adhesion molecule expression, increased leukocyte adhesion, increased leukocyte transmigration
  • vascular proliferation: high endothelial venules
  • replication of Type B synoviocytes
  • recruitment of type A synoviocytes
  • fusion of both into giant cells
  • involvement of immune response
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7
Q

Chronic changes in RA

A
  • recruitment of cells
  • remodelling responses; large ratio of MMP/TIMP -> tissue degradation
  • reduced apoptosis of synoviocytes
  • proliferative response to hypoxia resulting from increase in HIF1a
  • synoviocyte fusion
  • formation of synovial pannus
  • erosion of cartilage and bone
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8
Q

Visible changes on Xray

A
  • joint narrowing due to loss of cartilage
  • erosions adjacent to cartilage
  • jusxta articular osteopenia
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9
Q

Chronic changes, suite

A
  • increase pressure -> hypoxia in type B synoviocytes
  • increase in HIF1a -> VEGF -> angiogenesis (poorly ordered)
  • CXCL12
  • ECM
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10
Q

RA background

A
  • most common chronic inflammatory joint disease
  • 1% of pop
  • F:M: 2-3:1
  • onset increases with age
  • peak onset 50-70
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11
Q

Incidence of RA

A
  • higher in NE, NA, and native american tribes
  • incidenceL 40/100.000
  • more common in lower education and low SES
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12
Q

Etiology - environmental

A
  • smoking is the strongest risk factor: follows a dose response. Associated with CCP and RF and with more severe disease
  • alcohol lowers risk
  • statins reduce risk of RA
  • virus: EPV, Parvo B19 (not proven)
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13
Q

Reproductive and endocrine etiology

A
  • increase risk in women
  • increse risk post-partum
  • remission during pregnancy
  • early menopause increase risk
  • estrogen inhibits T supresor cells and enhances T-helper cell function
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14
Q

Etiology - Genetic

A
  • Genetic contribution 30%
  • concordance monozygotic twins = 12-15%
  • Concordance dizygotic twins = 3%
  • HLADRB1 risk alleles: 0401, 0405
  • havign 2 copies of allele increases risk
  • influence development of seropositive RA
  • associated with more severe disease
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15
Q

What aspect of the huistory is most suggestive of an inflammatory arthritis such as RA?

A
  • early morning stiffness
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16
Q

RA Clinical features

A
  • inflammatory history: morning stiffness for more than 30 min
  • synovitis in 3+ joints
  • symptoms last >6 weeks
  • Viral illnesses can cause RA like symptoms
  • other diseases have been excluded
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17
Q

Onset of RA

A
  • gradual onset 50%
  • sudden onset 10-25%
  • local soft tissue inflammation: carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis
  • systemic feature: fatigue, weight loss, fever, myalgia
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18
Q

What are the joints most commonly affected by RA?

A
  • MCP of hand
  • proximal interphalangeal
  • wrist
  • elbow
  • shoulders
  • hips
  • knees
  • ankles
  • MTP
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19
Q

Typocal RA deformities

A
  • ulnar dviation, subluxation at MCP
  • swan neck deformity
  • boutoniere
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20
Q

Spine involvement

A
  • Cervical spine
  • Pannus at C1-C2
  • Atlanto-axial subluxation
  • sub-axial subluxation
  • potential compression of spinal cord
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21
Q

Morbidity and mortality in RA

A
  • cardiovascular risk - main cause of mortality
  • RA associated with 50-60% increased risk of CV mortality
  • reduced with good control of inflammation
  • Morbidity: CV disease, infection, lymphoma
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22
Q

Extra-articular features of RA

A
  • Systemic inflammatory condition - can affect other tissues
  • Rheumatoid nodules commonest EA features
  • presence of EA features is associated with worse prognosis
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23
Q

Rheumatoid nodules

A
  • occur in 30% of RA patients
  • severe disease
  • sero-positive disease (RF, antiCCP)
  • occur typically on elbows but can occur anywhere
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24
Q

Lung and heart disease

A
  • pleural effusion, pleuritis
  • fibrosis 5%
  • rheumatoid nodules
  • pericardial effusion, pericarditis
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25
Q

Eye disease

A
  • scleritis, episcleritis
  • scleromalacia perforans: inflammation of the sclera with thinning and rupture of sclera
  • Sicca syndrome: dry eyes,mouth
  • Sjogren syndrome - 10% of patient
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26
Q

Other EA manifestation

A
  • Vasculitis

- Felty’s syndrome (splenomegaly +/- lymphadenopathy, neutropenia, leg ulcers, recurrent infection)

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27
Q

Investigations

A
  • Autoantibodies: RF, anti-CCP. Useful for diagnosis, prognosis, but not present in 100% of patients
  • Non specific investigations: ESR, CRP -> markers of inflammation, useful for monitoring disease activity
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28
Q

Anti-CCP antibodies

A
  • sensitivity 60-80%
  • specificity >90%
  • correlate with RF but not always cooccur
  • not useful for monitoring disease activity
  • better predictor than RF for severity
29
Q

RF

A
  • non specific
  • positive in 70% of RA patient
  • low specificity in gen pop
  • false positive in up to 25% over 75 years
  • present in infectionsm other autoimmune disease
  • poor screening test
  • titre/level not useful for monitoring disease activity
30
Q

Full blood count

A
  • WCC usually normal

- thromocytosis associated with active disease

31
Q

ESR

A
  • increased with disease activity

- increased with age

32
Q

CRO

A
  • acute phase reactant
  • increases with disease activity
  • not affected by age
33
Q

Ferritin

A
  • increases as acute phase reactant
34
Q

XRay

A
  • Early: soft tissue swelling
  • middle: erosive changes
  • late: joint space narrowing
35
Q

DEfinite diagnosis of RA

A
  • multiple joints with synovitis, especially small joints of hands and feet
  • ESR and/or CRP elevated
  • RF and/or CCP+
  • symptoms > 6 weeks
  • other diseases excluded
36
Q

RA X ray changes

A
  • synovitis: soft tissue swelling, widened joint space
  • hyperemia: juxta-articular osteoporosis
  • Pannus: marginal erosion, diffuse joint space narrowing, central subchondral custs
  • subcutaneous nodules
  • fibrous fusion: loss of joint space
  • ligament weakening/imabalnce: subluxation
  • minor/absent bony repair
37
Q

Chronic/severe RA

A
  • symmetrical
  • marginal erosion
  • diffuse loss of joint space
  • subchondral cust
  • MCP, PIP distribution
  • marked ulnar volar subluxations
  • soft tissue nodule pressure point
  • fusion
  • no osteophytes
38
Q

Why is early treatment important

A
  • Damage occurs early
  • 70% erode in 2 years
  • 40% erosive at presentation
  • significant BMD loss in 1st year
  • disability occurs early
  • spontaneous remission is rare:
39
Q

Treatment strategy

A
  • analgesics
  • antiinflammatory drugs
  • NSAIDS
  • corticosteroids to control inflammation
  • DMARD
40
Q

DMARD

A
  • disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs
  • delayed efficacy on symptoms
  • improve long term outcome
  • slow disease progression
41
Q

Markers of poor prognosis

A
  • RF+, CCP+
  • multiple swollen joint
  • high ESR/CRP
  • erosion at diagnosis
  • nodules or other EA manifestation
42
Q

Aims of treatment

A
  • remission or low disease activity
  • no stiffness/synovitis
  • low ESR/CRP
43
Q

Treamtent strategy

A
  • start with metotrexate
  • add 2nd DMA after 3 months if still active disease
  • biological agents after 6 months
44
Q

Methotrexate

A
  • gold standard treatment
  • weekly dose
  • purine antagonist
  • up to 20 mg weekly
  • folic acid supplements to reduce side effects
45
Q

Side effects of methotrexate

A
  • mouth ulcers, nausea
  • abnormal liver function
  • increased risk of infection
  • pneumonitis
  • monitor: FBC, liver function, Creatinine
46
Q

Other disease modifying drugs: Leflunomide

A
  • alone or combinations
  • pyrimidine antagonist
  • side effect: diarrhoea, rash, abN liver function test, infection, cytopenia
47
Q

Other disease modifying drug: sulfasalazine

A
  • alone in sero-negative or in combinations
  • side effects: rash, nausea, headache, 4-6 tabs/day
  • rare but serious: neutropenia
48
Q

Other disease modifying drugs: hydroxychloroquine

A
  • used in combination therapy
  • side effects - GIT, rash
  • Monitor eyes - rare retinal complications
49
Q

Biological agents

A
  • genetically engineered antibodies to cytookine and immune targets
  • TNF inhibitors - Ab to TNF
  • IL6 antibodies
  • B cell blocker - antiCD20
  • CTLA4 Ab - blocks co-stimulatory signal between T cell and antigen presenting cell
50
Q

Benefits of biological agents

A
  • 70-80% of patients respond
  • increased remission rate
  • reduced radiological damage
  • nromalisation of ESR, CRP
  • reduced cardiovascular events
51
Q

TB screening

A

TNF is important for granuloama formation

  • TNF inhibitor increase risk of reactivation latent TB
  • screening required prior to Reaction
  • history of exposure or at risk
  • CXR
  • Mantoux > 5 mm
52
Q

DMARD

A
  • main drug targets are immune cells and inflammatory patheays
  • display delayed efficacy on symptom
  • signifcantly improve long term outcome by slowing disease progression
53
Q

Conventional DMARD

A
  • methotrecate and leflunomide
  • Sulfasalazine
  • Hydroxychloroquine
54
Q

Biological DMARD

A
  • TNFa inhibitor
  • IL6 inhinitor
  • CD20 blocker: Rituximab
  • CTLA4 inhibitor: abatacept
55
Q

Methotrexate

A
  • inhibits dihydrofolate reductase
  • oral administration
  • long half life: weekly tablets
  • renally eliminated - lower dose for patients with renal dysfunction
  • inhibits the synthesis of thymidylate and purine nucleotides
  • essential for DNA synthesis and cell proliferation
56
Q

Toxicity of methotrexate

A
  • bone marrow suppression, liver accumulation
  • mouth ulcers, nausea
  • pneumonitis
57
Q

Leflunomide

A
  • targets dihydroorotate dehydrogenase
  • prodrug: actively metabolised to teriflunomide
  • orally administered
  • half life 2 weeks
  • Inhibits de novo pyrimidine snthesis
58
Q

Toxicity of leflunomide

A
  • GI
  • Skin rash, alopecia
  • minor infection
  • liver function abnormality
  • peripheral neuropathy, pneumonitis
59
Q

Sulfasalazine/Salazopyrin

A
  • pro drug, actively metabolised to 5-ASA
  • unknown drug trget or MOA
  • poor bioavailibility
  • toxicity: GI, headah, rash, dizziness, depression, reversible infertility, thrombocytopenia
60
Q

Hydroxychloroquine: antimalarial

A
  • Targets lysosome
  • orally administered
  • half life of 40 days, renal excretion
  • loading dose then daily maintenance
  • increases intracellular lysosome pH -> diminishes enzyme processing of immune signalling proteins
  • inhibit TLR9 signalling in DC, peptide loading for MHC -> prevents activation of innate immune cell
61
Q

Toxicity of hydroxychloroquine

A
  • corneal deposits
  • retinal toxicity
  • GIT
  • time-limited use
62
Q

TNFa inhibitors

A
  • etanercept
  • infliximab
  • adalimumab
  • certolizumab
  • Golimumab

” mab” - monoclonal antibody

63
Q

TNF inhibitors side effects

A
  • inkection site reaction common: hypersensitivity
  • infection - especially resp tract
  • recurrence of latent infection - TB
  • demyelination
  • drug induced SLE
64
Q

IL6 inhibitors - Tocilizumab

A
  • drug target: IL6 receptor
  • IV administration, long half life (montjlu)
  • binds to IL6 receptor, preents JSK-STAT3 signalling and reduces cellular survival and proliferation
65
Q

Tocilizumab toxicity

A
  • abnormal liver function test
  • neutropenia
  • increase risk of infection cellulitis others
  • increase cholesterol
66
Q

B cell inhibitor - Rituximab

A
  • targets CD20 on B cells
  • long half life, IV dose every 6 motnhs
  • binds to CD20 on B cells, resulting in ADCC-cell death
  • toxicity similar to TNFa inhibitors
67
Q

CTLA4 inhibitor - Abatacept

A
  • targets CD80/86 on APC
  • SC weekly or IV monthly
  • half life 13 days
  • prevents activation and proliferation of T cells
  • inhibits T cell mediated cytokine release
68
Q

Abatecept toxicity

A
  • immunosuppression and infection
  • hypersensitivity reaction
  • respiratory function in COPD
  • headache