Rheumatiod Arthritis 1 (SD) Flashcards
What type of disorder is RA?
chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder
Where does RA occur?
within synovial joints
symptoms of RA
pain
swelling
stiffness
joint erosion and destruction
What other places does RA affect? (inflammation elsewhere)
blood vessels bone marrow GI tract lungs eyes
What causes mortality with RA?
cardiovascular disease
When is symptom onset of RA?
> 25 years of age
male:female
1:2.7
swelling
synovial tissue in caps of joints becomes damaged causing tissue to thicken and swell
stiffness
inflammed joints stiffen and are difficult to move correctly
especially in mornings or after long rest
can last for hours
pain
cartilage and bone within the joints will wear down over time
muscles, ligaments and tendons weaken and no longer stabilise joints
causes intense pain and joint damage
redness
joints can be warm
may appear pink/red on the outside during flare/when inflammed
What are the 3 bones in the finger called?
distal phalanx
middle phalanx
proximal phalanx
What are the 3 joints in the fingers called?
distal interphalangeal joint - DIP
proximal interphalangeal joint - PIP
metacarpophalangeal joint - MCP
symptoms in early stage RA
ulnar deviation - hand less straight, inflammation in metacarpal region
boutonniere deformity - DIP hyperextended and PIP flexed (bend)
swan-neck deformity - DIP flexed and PIP hyperextended
healthy bone/joint
articular cartilage provides a lubricated surface for the opposing bones
synovial membrane produces/contains synovial fluid
synovial fluid provides lubrication and removes debris
What are autoantigens?
antigens produced by the body that are attacked by the immune system
What do autoantigens cause?
an immune response
What genes regulate the immune system?
human leukocyte antigen (HLA)
genes on chromosone 6
What are HLA genes part of?
MHC 1 and MHC 2 complex
at risk patients related to HLA genes
patients with alterations to HLA-DR1 and HLA-DR4 alleles at increased risk of RA
mutation of what is involved in activation of inflammatory cells
PTP2N22 mutation
-> encodes the protein tyrosine phosphatase
involved in the activation and control of inflammatory cells, including T cells
What is produced that is thought to be an environmental factor for RA?
environmental arthritogen
What environmental factors may cause RA?
viruses gut bacteria smoking gum disease obesity diet citrullinated proteins -> lead to autoantigen generation
What is citrullination?
citrullination is a post translational conversion of arginine to citrulline in proteins by an enzyme called PAD
-> Peptidyl Arginine Deminiase
citrullination of proteins in RA
- this becomes disregulated in RA
- lead to alterations of proteins in the synovium
- the protein AA sequence is changed
- the immune system thinks this protein is not normal, thinks it’s a foreign protein
- the immune system attacks these protiens
- it can lead to autoantigens being formed which are then no longer recognised as self antigens by the immune system
- anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are produced that attact these proteins
How does periodontal infection/gum disease cause RA?
gum disease releases PAD enzymes at sites of infection
this causes citrullination of bacterial and human proteins
activates ACPA production