Rheumatology Flashcards
Which drugs are associated with drug-induced lupus?
- Procainamide
- Hydralazine
- Isoniazid
- Minocycline
- Phenytoin
Which anitbodies are associated with drug induced lupus?
100% of these patients are ANA postiive:
- 80-90% anti-histone
- 5% anti-Ro and anti-Sm
What is the triad of Felty’s Syndrome?
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Splenomegaly
- Low white cell count
What do you need to check for before starting a patient on azathioprine?
Thioipurine methyltransferase deficiency.
If this enzyme is deficnet, the patient will accumulate toxic amounts fo the drug leading to pancytopenia
What abnormality in the hands can occur with ractive arthritis?
Dactylitis.
The spondyloarthropathies can all cause dactylitis (e.g. psoriatic)
What is the characteristic skin changes seen in dermatomyositis?
- Gottron’s Papules: roughened red papules over extensor surfaces of fingers
- Heliotrope rash in the periorbital region
- Macular rash over back and shoulder
What is dermatomyositis?
An inflammatory disorder causing symmetrical, proximal muscle weakness + characteristic skin lesions.
This condition is very much associated with malginancy - 25% have underlying malignancy (more if older).
Other than muscle and skin features, what other features are there in dermatomyositis?
- Rexnaud’s
- Respiratory muscle weakness
- Interstitial lung disease (fibrosing alveolitis or organising pneumonia)
- Dysphagia, dysphonia
What serology doe dermatomyositis patients usually have
Majority is ANA positive (80%):
- anti-Jo-1
- anti-SRP
- Anti-Mi-2
Which antibiotics should be avoided in patients taking methotrexate?
The folate antagonising ABx, trimethoprim and co-trimoxazole
Where is Gout most likely to attack?
E
This is the metatrsophalangeal joint
What are risk factors for osteoporosis considered in FRAX?
- History of glucocoirticoid use
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Alcohol excess
- Parentl hip fracture
- Low BMI
- Smoking
What are Raynaud’s phenomena?
Raynaud’s phenomena can be primary (Raynaud’s disease) or secondary (Raynaud’s phenomenon).
Primary:
- Onset usually in females around 30
- Bilateral
Secondary:
- Underlying CTD:
- Scleroderma
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- SLE
- Leukaemia
- Cryoglobulinaemia, cold agglutins
- Use of vibrating tools
- Cervical rib
Describe the management of Raynaud’s phenomena.
Conservative:
- Wear warm protection such as gloves
Medical:
- Nifedipine (first-line)
- Prostacycline infusion
- Sildenafil
Surgical: (only used in severe disease)
- Sympathectomy (removing part of the sympatheic nervous system)
What is the difference between osteomalacia and osteoporosis?
In osteoporosis, there is normal mineralisation, but the overall bone mass is decreased.
In osteomalacia, the bone is demineralised.
What do blood investigations show in osteomalacia and osteoporosis?
Osteomalacia:
- Vitamin D low
- ALP raised
- Calcium may be low
- Phosphate may be low
Osteoporosis:
- All Ix normal
What are potential X-ray findings in osteomalacia?
Adults:
- Looser’s zones aka Pseudofractures (transverse lucencies)
What is ankylosing spondylitis?
Ankylosing spondylitis is an HLA-B27 associated spondyloarthropathy.
It leads to enthesitis, i.e. insertion of tendons into bones, particularly in the spine (intervertebral joints, fact joints, sacroiliac joints) - a process which eventually leads to ossification. This makes the spine immobile.
Other joints affected are achilles tendons and plantar fasciitis.
What are some extra-articular features of ankylosing spondylitis?
Skin:
- Keratoderma blenorrhagicum
Eyes:
- Uveitis
Cardiovascular system:
- Aortitis -> anaeurysms at the root (can lead to aortic regurgitation)
- Direct inflammation of the aortic valve leading to aortic regurgitation
- AV node block
Lungs:
- Apical lung fibrosis
Summarise the managment of ankylosing spondylitis.
Conservative:
- Exercise regime: regular exercise (swimming)
- Phsyiotherapy
Medical:
- NSAIDs are used first-line (give with gastro-protection)
- DMARDs: sulphasalazine, MTX
- Biologics: etanercept and adalimumab
Surgical:
- Reparation of damaged joints
- Spinal surgery is risky, and so only rarely performed
Summarise investigations and findings for ankylosing spondylitis.
Bloods
- Test for rheumatoid factor (to proove it is seronegative)
- ESR/CRP - can be a marker of disease severity
Imaging:
- X-Ray spine (not very sensitive):
- Sacroiliitis, showing subchondral erosions and sclerosis
- Squaring of lumbar vertebrae
- Syndesmophytes - ossification of the annulus fobrosus (the outer part of the spinal discs)
- Bamboo spine (late complication)
- MRI (much better at showing inflammation and more sensitive)
What is the scoring system used for ankylosing spondylitis?
The BASDAI score - Bath AnkSpon Disease Activity index.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterised by widespread pain throughout the body with tender points at specific anatomical sites.
Cause is unknown.
Clinical features:
- Chronic pain: at multiple sites, somtimes “all over”
- Lethargy
- Cognitive impairment (Fibro Fog)
- Sleep disturbance, headaches, dizziness
Which test can be used to test for likelyhodd of fibromyalgia?
The ACR has classification criteria that lists 9 points on each site of the body; if ≥11/18 are tender, fibro is likely.
Summarise the management apporach for fibromyalgia.
Management is difficult and often unsuccessful.
- Explanation
- Exercise (especially aerobic)
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Medical:
- Pregabalin
- Duloxetine
- Amitriptyline
In what demographic does Ankylosing spondylitis most commonly present?
Men (ratio 3:1) in their late teens to early 30s.
Which disease is most associated with cANCA?
What is the targe of these Ab?
Cytoplasmic anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies - cANCA - is associated with Granulomatous Polyangiitis.
The target is Proteinase 3.
Which disease is most associated with pANCA?
What is the targe of these Ab?
Perinuclear anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies - pANCA - are found in eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis and micorscopic polyangiitis.
The antibody binds to MPO, myeloperoxidase.
Other non-vasculitic diseases associated with pANCA include:
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis
- IBD (UC >> Crohn’s)
- Connective tissue diseases (RA, SLE, Sjögren’s)
- Autoimmune hepatitis
What is the definition of osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is defined as a T-score of -2.5 (osteopenia -1 to -2.5).
This is due to decreased bone material (as opposed to decreased mineralisation in osteomalacia).
Summarise the treatment of osteoporosis.
All women over 65, all men over 75 + women 50-64/men 50-75 with risk factors should be assessed for osteoporosis.
Use a combination of FRAX or QFracture score, ± DEXA scan to estimate risk for patients. (unecessary complex algorithm by NICE)
Some patients, e.g. those with previous fragility fractures, may be started on medication without DEXA.
Medical:
-
Oral bisphosphonates (e.g. alendronate, risendronate)
- Oral on empty stomach whilst erect, in the morning
- If not tolerated, refer to specialist for:
- IV bisphosphonates
- Strontium
- Raloxifen (SERM)
- Denosumab (stops RANK-L and therefore blocks osteoclast activity)
- Teriparatide (PTH agonist - increases osteoblasts more than osteoclasts)
What are the clinical features of polymyalgia?
Clinical features:
- > 60 years old
- Rapid onset of symptoms (< 1 month)
- In proximal limb muscles:
- Aching muscles
- Morning stiffness
- Mild polyarthraliga, lethargy, low-grade fever, night sweats
Note that there is an overlap with temporal arteritis - histology shows vasculitis with giant cells.
What is the treatment for polymyalgia rheumatica?
Prednisolone 15mg/od. (cf. the 40-60mg used in GCA)
What is the buzzword frequnetly used for Radiograph findings of psoriatic arthritis?
“Pencil-in-cup appearance”
(literally looks nothing like this wtf)
What are the types of arthritis that can be seen in psoriatic arthropathy?
- Rheumatoid-like polyarthritis (30-40%)
- Asymmetrical oligoarthritis of hands and feet (20-30%)
- Sacroiliitis
- DIP joint disease (10%)
- Arthritis mutilans (telescoping of the fingers - very severe disease)
What is the material that the crystals in pseudogout are made of?
Calcium pyrophosphate
What are the risk factors for pseudogout?
- Haemochromatosis
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Acromegaly
- Low magensium, low phosphate
- Wilson’s disease