*Rheumatoid Arthritis Flashcards
RA- Age of onset
20-30’s
RA-Male/Female/Race
Females 2-3x more
RA- Family History
Positive
RA- Health History Risk Factors
Pregnancy and OCA use decreases risk
RA- Type of Onset and Progression
Onset: Insidious
Progression: slow/rapid progression
RA- Symptom location
Multiple joints
Bilateral/symmetric
RA- Symptom descriptors
pain/soreness
stiffness
RA- Aggravating Factors
Rest and inactivity
Post-rest gel: more than 30 minutes
RA- Alleviating Factors
Movement
RA- 24 hour report
AM stiffness-severe
RA- Review of Systems
Fatigue, Anorexia, Weight loss
Multiple Systems involved:
- scleritis
- interstitial lung disease- difficult breathing
- vasculitic
- etc.
RA- ROM/Mobility
Contractures over time with deformities
RA- Palpation/Observation
Common deformities: wrist, hand, feet
Rheumatoid nodules
Edema/warmth (swelling)
RA- Complications
C1-2 subluxation
Cardiopulmonary compromise
Deformity-disability
RA- Lab Tests
Rheumatoid Factor, but…
RA- Diagnostic Imaging
Plain Films:
Joint space narrowing
cortical bone thinning
erosions
osteoporosis
RA- Clinical Findings for Diagnosis
4 most be present for at least 6 weeks:
1) morning stiffness:
(in and around joints, lasting at least 1 hour before max improvement)
2) Arthritis of 3 or more joint areas:
(simultaneously has soft tissue swelling or fluid observed by clinician)
3) Arthritis of hand joints
(minimum of 1 area swollen in wrist, MCP, or PIP joints)
4) Symmetric arthritis
5) Rheumatoid nodules
(subcutaneous nodules, over bony prominences or extensor sufaces or in juxta articular regions)
6) Serum rheumatoid factor
(blood test; not diagnostic)
7) Radiographic changes
(erosion and loss of bone density
