Rheum Flashcards
What is polymyositis?
How does it present?
Inflammation and destruction of type I and II muscle fibres due to cytotoxic lymphocytes
usually develops over 3-6 months with progressive, symmetrical proximal muscle wasting, tenderness + weakness
symmetrical non-erosive arthritis affects knees, wrists + hands - often morning stiffness
Who is affected by polymyositis? What causes it?
affects those in 20s
maybe autoimmune, coxsackie virus has been implicated
can be associated with SLE, RA and Sjogrens
can be non-metastatic complication of malignancy
How does dermatomyositis differ from polymyositis?
Cutaneous rash
can affect children
What are the endocrine causes of myopathy?
Corticosteroid-induced (Cushing’s or exogenous)
Thyroid (hypo + hyper)
Osteomalacia
B12/ folate deficiency
What are other secondary causes of myopathy?
Viral myalgias
Toxic myopathies: alcohol, drugs, statins, lithium
Investigations for widespread MSK pain
ESR: high in PMR, inflammatory arthritis, SLE, malign
Serum calcium: low in osteomalacia, high in malign
PTH
Serum ALP: raised in Paget’s and in response to inflamm
Immunology screen
How to approach widespread MSK pain
Do the joints look/ move normally? If not, consider inflamm arthritis
If yes, is their proximal myopathy?
How many fibromyalgia trigger points?
18
Management of fibromyalgia
Education/ reassurance
Physio/ exercise
CBT
Trial TCAs, meds for neuropathic pain
What age does SLE develop?
15-40 years
What % SLE sufferers have ANAs?
90%
Define SLE
Characterised by autoantibody to nuclear material
Widespread vasculitis that can affect most body systems
What involvement of SLE sufferers have skin involvement?
75%
malar rash
annular lesions
alopecia
What is drug-induced SLE: causes and presentation?
COCP and others
Milder than normal SLE
Kidney-sparing
settles on withdrawal of drug
What are the systemic features of SLE?
MSK: arthritis - myalgia - myositis
CNS: headaches - psychosis, depression, anxiety - seizures - neuropathies - chorea
CVS: pericarditis - myocarditis - endocarditis (Libmans-Sacks: non-infective vegetations)
Resp: pneumonitis (mimics pneumonia) - effusion - infarction
Renal: GN (late stages: important to monitor)
Haem: anaemia - thrombocytopenia
What kind of arthritis in SLE?
Polyarticular
deformity not due to joint erosion, due to tenosynovitis and fibrosis
What can cause flare-ups in SLE?
Stress - skin exposure - infection - COCP - other drugs
What are life-threatening conditions that can be caused by SLE flare-up?
Renal failure
Cerebral vasculitis
Investigations for SLE
Anti-dsDNA (v specific)
ANA (detected in most)
Anti-histone antibodies: often positive in drug-induced SLE (v specific)
Anti-Ro/La - associated with secondary Sjogens and pulm fibrosis (not v specific)
Antiphospholipid and anticardiolipin antibobodies (positive in 10-20% pts)
Urine for signs of nephritis
FBC: penias
U&Es: renal function
ESR/ CRP: may be high during flare-ups or even when feeling well
Others: skin biopsy, complement C3/4 (low), renal biopsy….
Management of SLE
Education: long sleeves, sunscreen
Mild: NSAIDs or anti-malarials
More severe: CS or clever stuff
Features of anti-phospholipid syndrome
Venous thrombosis
Arterial thrombosis
Spontaneous miscarriage
Thrombocytopenia (not severe enough to cause haemorrhage)
Others: migraine, epilepsy, chorea, leg ulcers, cardiac valve abnormalities
Management of antiphospholipid syndrome
Lifestyle advice to manage risk factors for thrombosis
If no clinical features, dont need to treat
If thrombosis, needs lifelong warfarin
What is Sjogrens?
Chronic autoimmune disease charactised by inflammation of exocrine glands: predominantly salivary and lacrimal
What is sicca syndrome?
Dry eyes/ mouth due to non-immune causes, eg smoking