Rheumatology Flashcards
OA : Joints affected and typical history
- Large weight bearing joints - hip, knee
- CMC
- DIP, PIP
- Joint pain and stiffness following use, improves with rest
Signs of OA in the hands
- Heberden’s nodes (in the DIP joints)
- Bouchard’s nodes (in the PIP joints)
- Squaring at the base of the thumb (CMC joint)
- Weak grip
- Reduced range of motion
Signs of OA on X-ray
- L : Loss of joint space
- O : osteophyte formation
- S : Subchondral cysts
- S : Subarticular sclerosis
What are the non pharmacological management options for OA?
- Therapeutic exercise to improve strength and function and reduce pain
- Weight loss
- Occupational therapy to support activities and function
Pharmacological management options of OA ?
- 1st = Topical NSAIDs (Ibuprofen 5% gel, 3x a day).
- 2nd = Oral NSAIDs with PPI cover (Ibuprofen 400mg 3x daily).
RA : presentation and typical joints affected
- Symmetrical distal polyarthritis affecting the MCP, PIP, wrist and the MTP
- Joint pain, swelling and stiffness -> better with use
- Systemic Sx : fatigue, weight loss, flu-like illness, muscle aches and weakness
what antibodies are tested for in RA?
- First line = rheumatoid factor (RF)
- Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP)
what are hand signs seen in advanced RA disease ?
- Z-shaped deformity to the thumb
- Swan neck deformity (hyperextended PIP and flexed DIP)
- Boutonniere deformity (hyperextended DIP and flexed PIP)
- Ulnar deviation of the fingers at the MCP joints
What X-ray changes are seen in RA?
- Early sign = Periarticular/Juxta-articular osteoporosis and loss of join space
- Later : periarticular erosions, soft tissue swelling and subluxation
How is a flare or initial presentation of RA managed ?
Short term steroids (oral or IM)
what is the stepwise management of RA?
- Monotherapy with methotrexate, leflunomide or sulfasalazine
- Combination treatment with multiple cDMARDs
- Biologic therapies (usually alongside methotrexate)
what two cDMARDS are deemed safest for RA management in pregnancy ?
- Hydroxychloroquine : only in mild disease or palindromic disease
- Sulfasalazine (extra folic acid required)
when are biological therapies considered for RA management and give examples
- Inadequate response to at least 2 DMARDS
- TNF inhibitors (adalimumab, infliximab, etanercept)
- Rituximab (anti-CD20 on B cells).
How often is methotrexate given and what is given alongside it on a different day ?
- Once weekly
- 5mg Folic acid
Give 4 SE of methotrexate
- Mouth ulcers and mucositis
- Liver toxicity
- Bone marrow suppression and leukopenia (low white blood cells)
- Teratogenic (harmful to pregnancy) and needs to be avoided before conception in both women and men
Give 4 SE of sulfasalazine
- Orange urine
- Oligospermia
- Heinz body anaemia
- ILD
Give a SE specific to leflunomide
- Peripheral neuropathy
Give 3 SE of hydroxychloroquine
- Retinal toxicity (reduced visual acuity)
- Blue-grey skin pigmentation
- Hair lightening (bleaching)
What is a unique SE of anti-TNF medication ?
Reactivation of TB
Give 2 SE of rituximab
- Night sweats
- Thrombocytopenia
How is response to treatment monitored in RA
- CRP and DAS28 score
what are the typically features of ankylosing spondylitits ?
- Young man (20s), presenting with lower back pain and stiffness of insidious onset
- Stiffness = worse in AM and improves with exercise
- Pain at night which improves on getting up
- Sacroiliac pain
Give 6 conditions associated with ank. spond
- A – Anterior uveitis
- A – Aortic regurgitation
- A – Atrioventricular block (heart block)
- A – Apical lung fibrosis (fibrosis of the upper lobes of the lungs)
- A – Anaemia of chronic disease
- A : Achilles tendonitis
what is seen on examination in ank. spond?
- Reduced lateral flexion
- Reduced forward flexion (<5cm increase on Schober’s test)
- Reduced chest expansion
what is the most useful investigation for diagnosing ank. spond and what are the most common findings !
- Plain X-ray
- Sacroilitis : subchondral erosions, sclerosis
- Squaring of lumbar vertebrae
- Syndesmophytes
If X-ray is negative but suspicion of ank. spond is still high, what can be done ?
- MRI
- Shows bone marrow oedema
what is the stepwise management of ank. spond ?
REGULAR EXERCISE & physio
- NSAIDs
what are the most common triggers of reactive arthritis ?
- STI = chlamydia
- Gastroenteritis
How does reactive arthritis present ?
- Develops 4 wks after infection
- Arthritis (asymmetrical oligoarthritis).
- Urethritis
- Eye : conjunctivitis, anterior uveitis
- Circinate balanitis
- Dactylitis
How is reactive arthritis managed ?
- Joint aspiration -> microscopy, culture and sensitivity and crystal examination (exclude septic arthritis)
- Symptomatic : analgesia, NSAIDs, intra-articular steroids
What are the 5 patterns of arthritis associated with psoriasis ?
- Symmetrical polyarthritis : (>4, similar to RA)
- Asymetrical oligoarthritis : (1-4 joints).
- Sacrolitis : (spine and sacroiliac joints)
- DIP joint disease
- Arthritis mutilans : (phalanges - osteolysis leads to telescoping digits).
what 5 other signs are seen in psoriatic arthritis ?
- Plaques of psoriasis on the skin
- Nail pitting
- Onycholysis (separation of the nail from the nail bed)
- Dactylitis
- Enthesitis
what is seen on X-ray in psoriatic arthritis ?
- Periostitis
- ’ Pencil-in-cup’ appearance of digits
what is the stepwise management of psoriatic arthritis ?
- NSAIDs
- Steroids
- DMARDs (e.g., methotrexate, leflunomide or sulfasalazine)
- Anti-TNF medications (etanercept, infliximab or adalimumab)
- Ustekinumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets interleukin 12 and 23
what is SLE ? What kind of hypersensitivty reaction is it ? and who is it more common in ?
- Inflammatory autoimmune connective tissue disorder.
- Type 3
- Young to middle aged women
- Asian, African, Caribbean and Hispanic ethnicity
what antibodies are associated with SLE
- Anti-nuclear antibodies (Highly sensitive, low specificity).
- anti-dsDNA (highly specific, less sensitive)
what bloods are used to monitor SLE ?
- ESR
- Low C3/C4
what lifestyle advice is given to people with SLE ?
- Suncream and sun avoidance !! For photosensitive malar rash
what are the 3 first line treatment options for SLE?
- Hydroxychloroquine
- NSAIDs
- Steroids (e.g., prednisolone)
what is discoid lupus erythematosus and 3 RF ?
- Autoimmune chronic skin condition
- Women, darker skin and smoking
What are the features of DLE
- Photosensitive erythematous, raised rash
- Common on face, neck, ears and scalp
- Can lead to scarring alopecia
How is DLE managed ?
- Skin biopsy to confirm
- Sun protection
- Topical steroids
- Hydroxychloroquine if necessary
what is systemic sclerosis ?
- Autoimmune connective tissue disease involving inflammation and fibrosis of the connective tissues, skin and internal organs
what are the features of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis ?
- C : Calcinosis
- R : Raynaud’s
- E : oEsophageal dysmotility
- S : Sclerodactyly
- T : Telangiectasia
what extra features are associated with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis ?
- Cardiovascular problems (e.g., HTN and coronary artery disease)
- Lung problems (e.g., pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary fibrosis)
- Kidney problems (e.g., glomerulonephritis and scleroderma renal crisis)
what is used to manage Raynaud’s and what can make it worse ?
- Keeping hands warm and CCB (nifedipine)
- BB can worsen the symptoms
What antibodies are seen in systemic sclerosis ?
-> ANA
-> Anti-centromere = limited
-> Anti-Scl-70 = diffuse
what is the common presentation of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)
- > 60yrs
- Rapid onset (<1mnth)
- Pain and stiffness of shoulders, pelvic girdle and neck.
- Worse : in morning, after rest, interferes with sleep.
- Raised ESR
What is the management of PMR?
- 15mg prednisolone daily
- If no respone = consider alt. diagnosis. Usually respond rapidly and v well to steroids
what are the additional management points for patients on long term steroids ?
Don’t STOP
- Don’t abruptly stop
- S : Sick day = increase in unwell
- T : Treatment card
- O : Osteoporosis prevention with bisphosphonates, calcium & vit D
- P : PPI
what is GCA, who does it more commonly affect and what is it strongly linked too ?
- Systemic vasculitis affecting medium and larger arteries
- Older white pts
- Linked to PMR
How does GCA typically present ?
- Unilateral headache
- Jaw claudication
- Tender and thickened temporal artery
- Blurred / double vision
what investigations are done in GCA ?
- ESR (Raised)
- Temporal artery biopsy = multinucleated giant cells
- Duplex USS = hypoechoic “halo” sign and stenosis of temporal artery
how is GCA managed ?
- No vision loss = high-dose pred (40-60mg)
- Evolving vision loss = IV methylpred (500-1000mg)
what other medications are considered in GCA ?
- Aspirin 75mg daily decreases vision loss and strokes
- PPI while on steroids
- Bisphosphonates and calcium and vitamin D for bone protection while on steroids
- Severe pain in the first MTP joint
- Swelling
- Erythema
Gout
what is seen on aspiration of joint fluid in gout ?
- Needle shaped negatively birefringement crystals of monosodium urate