Rheumatology Flashcards
Causes of scarring alopecia
Trauma, burns Radiotherapy Lichen planus Discoid lupus Tinea capitis
Causes of non-scarring alopecia
Male pattern baldness Drugs = cytotoxic, carbimazole, heparin, oral contraeption, colchine Iron deficiency, zinc deficiency Alopecia areata Telogen effluvium Trichotillomania
How to manage any new synovitis
Refer urgently to rheumatology
Main side effect of colchicine
Diarrhoea
2nd line treatment for gout
febuxostat
Inheritance of McArdle’s disease
Autosomal recessive
Features of McArdle’s disease
Muscle pain and stiffness after exercise
Muscle cramps
Myoglobinuria
Low lactate levels during exercise
If a patient has undiagnosed primary hyperparathyroidism and is started on vitamin D replacement, what is a possible risk?
Severe hypercalcaemia and vitamin D toxicity
Side effects of gold
Proteinuria
Corneal opacities
Side effects of penicilliamine
Proteinuria
Exacerbation of myasthenia gravis
What test is most specific for SLE?
Anti-dsDNA
Supplements to be taken during pregnancy
400mcg folic acid pre-conception and until 12 weeks gestation (5mg if high risk for neural tube defect)
10mcg vitamin D throughout entire pregnancy
DEXA scan - what is the Z score adjusted for?
Age, gender and ethnic factors
Monitoring for patients on biologic therapy
FBC, U+E, LFTs every 3-4 months after starting therapy, then every 6 months one stable
Which blood test is a useful rule out test for SLE?
ANA
Ehler-Danlos syndrome inheritance
Autosomal dominant
Ehler-Danlos syndrome features
Elastic, fragile skin Joint hypermobility - multiple dislocations Easy bruising Aortic regurg, mitral valve prolapse Aortic dissection SAH
HLA B27 associations
Ankylosing spondylitis
Reactive arthritis
Acute anterior uveitis
HLA DR3 associations
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Sjogren’s syndrome
Primary biliary cirrhosis
DLA DR4 associations
T1DM
Rheumatoid arthritis
Secondary causes of Raynaud’s
Connective tissue disorders: scleroderma, RA, SLE Leukaemia Type 1 cryoglobulinaemia Using vibrating tools Cervical rib
Drug causes of Raynaud’s
Oral contaceptive pill
Ergot (used in cluster headaches)
Raynaud’s - factors suggesting underlying connective tissue disorder
Onset over 40 Unilateral Rashes Autoantibodies Digital ulcers Calcinosis
Raynaud’s - management
CCB - nifedipine
IV prostacyclin infusion
Refer all with suspected secondary Raynauld’s
Lateral epicondylitis - what exacerbates the pain?
Wrist extension against resistance with elbow extended
Supination of the forearm with elbow extended
Medial epicondylitis - what exacerbates the pain?
Wrist flexion and pronation
Blood tests in osteoporosis
Calcium normal
Phosphate normal
ALP normal
PTH normal
Blood tests in osteomalacia
Calcium decreased
Phosphate decreased
ALP increased
PTH increased
Blood tests in primary hyperparathyroidism
Calcium increased
Phosphate decreased
ALP increased
PTH increased
Bone profile blood tests in CKD
Calcium decreased
Phosphate increased
ALP increased
PTH increased
Blood tests in Paget’s disease
Calcium normal
Phosphate normal
ALP increased
PTH normal
Blood tests in osteopetrosis
Calcium normal
Phosphate normal
ALP normal
PTH normal
Causes of dactylitis
Psoriasis Reactive arthritis Sickle cell disease TB Sarcoidosis Syphilis
Side effects of denosumab
Dyspnoea Diarrhoea URTI Hypocalcaemia Atypical femoral fractures
Causes of drug induced lupus
Procainamide
Hydralazine
Phenytoin
Fibromyalgia - management
Explanation
Aerobic exercise
CBT
Pregabalin, duloextine, amitriptyline
Fibromyalgia - diagnosis
Clinical
Tender in 11/18 ‘tender points’
Fibromyalgia - features
Chronic pain at multiple sites Lethargy "Brain fog" sleep disturbance Headaches Dizziness
What is the minimum steroid intake a patient should be taking before they are offered osteoporosis prophylaxis?
7.5mg prednisolone or more each day for 3 months
Which rheumatoid drug causes retinopathy?
Hydroxychloroquine
T score > -1.0
Normal
T score -1.0 to -2.5
Osteopenia
T score < -2.5
Osteoporosis
Risk of calcium supplements
Increased MI
Which drugs cannot be prescribed with methotrexate and why?
Trimethoprim and cotrimoxazole - increase risk of marrow aplasia
High dose aspirin - increased risk of methotrexate toxicity
How to alter the colchicine dose in renal failure
reduce dose by 50% if creatinine clearance is less than 50
Avoid if less than 10
Features of transient idiopathic osteoporosis
Third trimester of pregnancy
Groin pain with limited range of movement
Unable to weight bear
Raised ESR
Age <75 and had a previous fragility fracture?
DEXA scan
then FRAX assessment
Age >75 and previous fragility fracture?
No need to DEXA, start treatment
Blood test findings in antiphospholipid syndrome
Prolonged APTT
Low platelets
Scoring system used to assessed for hypermobility
Beighton score
What is ANCA?
anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody
Conditions associated with pANCA
UC
Crohn’s
Primary sclerosing cholangiits
Eosinophilic granulomatosis polyangiitis
Anti-GBM disease
Conditions associated with cANCA
granulomatosis with polyangiitis
microscopic polyangiitis
ANCA associated vasculitis - investigations
Urinalysis for proteinuria and haematuria
U+E
FBC
CRP raised
ANCA
CXR: nodular, fibrotic or infiltrative lesions
ANCA associated vasculitis - features
Renal = proteinuria, haematuria, creatinine rise
Respiratory = dysphoea, haemoptysis
Fatigue, weight loss, fever
Vasculitic rash
Sinusitis
Types of malignant bone tumours
Osteosarcoma
Chondrosarcoma
Ewing’s sarcoma
Osteosarcoma - predisposing factors
Rb gene (associated with retinoblastoma)
Paget’s disease
Radiotherapy
Osteosarcoma - main location
Long bones prior to epiphyseal closure
Femur, tibia, humerus
Osteosarcoma - xray findings
Codman’s triangle (due to periosteal elevation)
Sunburst pattern
What is chondrosarcoma?
Malignant tumour of cartilage
Chondrosarcoma - main location
axial skeleton
Ewing’s sarcoma - age of presentation
Children and adolescence
Ewing’s sarcoma - main location
Pelvis and long bone
Ewing’s sarcoma - presentation
Severe pain
Ewing’s sarcoma - xray findings
‘onion skin’ appearance
Types of benign bone tumours
Osteoma
Osteochondroma
Giant cell tumour
Osteoma - associations
Gardner’s syndrome
What is osteoma?
Benign ‘overgrowth’
Osteoma - main location
Skull
What is osteochondroma?
Cartilage capped bony projection on external surface of bone
Osteochondroma - who is affected
Males
Under 20
Giant cell tumour - xray findings
Double bubble or soap bubble sign
What is temporal arteritis?
A large vessel vasculitis
Temporal arteritis - features
Age >60 Headache Jaw claudication Visual changes - blurring, amaurosis fugas, double Tender, palpable temporal artery PMR symptoms Lethargy, low grade fever, night sweats
Temporal arteritis - investigations
Raised ESR >50
Raised CRP
Temporal artery biopsy = skip lesions
CK and EMG normal
Temporal arteritis - management
High dose steroids
- oral if no visual changes
- IV methylpred if visual loss
Will also need bone protection
Antibodies in systemic lupus erythematous
ANA in 90% Rheumatoid factor in 20% Anti-dsDNA - highly specific Anti-smith Raised ESR normal CRP Low C3 and Low C4 during active disease
SLE - which antibody as a screening test?
ANA
SLE - which antibody is the most specific?
anti-dsDNA
SLE - MSK features
arthraglia
non-erosive arthritis
SLE - cardiovascular features
pericarditis
myocarditis
SLE - respiratory features
pleurisy
fibrosing alveolitis
SLE - renal features
proteinuria
glomerulonephritis
SLE - neuro features
anxiety, depression
psychosis
seizures
SLE - skin features
malar rash discoid rash photosensitive Raynaud's Livedo reticularis non-scarring allopecia
What is a discoid rash?
scaly, red, well demarcated patches
sun-exposed places
How to monitor SLE disease activity
ESR
anti-dsDNA
Which ethnic group is most at risk of SLE?
Afro-caribbean
SLE - management
NSAIDS
corticosteroids
hydroxychloroquine
belimumab
What is Sjogren’s syndrome?
Autoimmune disorder affecting exocrine glands resulting in dry mucous membranes
What can Sjogren’s syndrome be secondary to?
Connective tissue diseases
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sjogren’s syndrome - features
Dry eyes and mouth
Vaginal dryness
Arthralgia, myalgia
Raynauld’s
Sensory polyneuropathy
Renal tubular acidosis
Sjogren’s syndrome - antibodies
Rheumatoid factor
ANA
anti-Ro antibodies in 70%
anti-La antibodies in 30%
Sjogren’s syndrome - investigations
antibodies
Schirmer’s test = filter paper near conjuctival sca to measure tear formation
What malignancy are people with Sjogren’s syndrome at risk of?
40-60 fold increase risk of lymphoid malignancy
Sjogren’s syndrome - management
Artificial tears and saliva
Pilocarpine may stimulate saliva