Rheumatology Flashcards
What are some risk factors for Osteoarthritis?
- Obesity
- Age
- Occupation
- Trauma
- Female
- Family history
What is osteoporosis thought to be caused by?
Imbalance between the cartilage being worn down and the chondrocytes repairing it
What are the 4 key Xray changes for osteoporosis?
LOSS
Loss of joint space
Osteophytes
Subarticular sclerosis
Subchondrial cysts
How does OA present?
Joint pain and stiffness (worsened with activity in contrast to inflammatory arthritis)
Deformity
Instability
What are some commonly affected joints for OA?
- Hips
- Knees
- Sacro-iliac joints
- DIPJ
- Wrist
- Cervical spine
What are some signs in the hands for OA?
Herbeden’s nodes (DIP)
Bouchard’s nodes (PIP)
Squaring at base of thumb at carpo-metacarpal joint
Weak grip
Reduced range of motion
What are the management options for OA?
Lifestyle: weight loss, physio to inprove strength. OT and orthotics
Analgesia: Paracetamol and topical NSAIDs (PPI for protection) or topical capsaicin (chilli pepper extract), THEN opiates e.g. codeine and morphine
Intra-articular steroid injections temporary reduction in inflammation
Joint replacement
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Autoimmune condition resulting in chronic inflamamtion of the synovial lining of joints, tenson sheaths and burse
It’s an inflammatory arthritis
How is the inflammation in RA distributed?
Symmetrical distribution affecting muliple joints
What is the genetic association of RA?
HLA DR4
What is Rheumatoid Factor?
Autoantibody targetting the Fc portion of the IgG antibody.
The Fc portion is used to bind to cells of the immune system
What is the result of RA?
Activation of the immune system against the patients own IgG causing systemic inflammation.
What class of immunoglobulin is Rheumatoid Factor?
Usually IgM
What antibodies are more sensitive and specific to RA than rheumatoid factor?
Anti-CCP antibodies
How does RA present?
Symmetrical distal polyarthropathy: pain, stiffness, swelling
What are the key symptoms of RA?
Pain
Swelling
Stiffness
What are the associated systemis symptoms of RA?
Fatigue
Weight loss
Flu like illness
Muscle aches and weakness
What is palindromic rheumatism?
Self limiting short episodes of inflammatory arthritis with joint pain, stiffness and swelling (only lasting 1-2 days then completely resolving)
Having RF and anti-CCP may indicate progression to full RA
Which joints are commonlmy affected by RA?
PIP joints, MCP joints (DIPJ almost never affected)
Wrist and ankle
Metatarsophalangeal joints
Cervical spine
Large joints can be affected e.g. knee, hips and shoulders
Are the distal IPJ ever affected by RA?
No - it will be OA
What is atalantoaxial subluxation?
The axis and atlas shift caused by local synovitis
Sublaxation can cause spinal cord compression and is an emergency
What are the hand symptoms of RA?
Z shaped thumb
Swan neck deformity
Boutonnieres deformity
Ulnar deviation of the fingers at knuckle
How does Boutonnieres deformity occur?
Teat in the central slip of the extensor components of the fingers. This means that when the patient tries to straighten their finger, the lateral tendons that go around the PIP (called the flexor digitorum superficialis tendons) pull on the distal phalynx without any other supporting structure, causing the DIPs to extend and the PIP to flex
What are some extra articular manifestations of RA?
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Bronchiolitis obliterans (inflammation causing small airway destruction)
- Felty’s syndrome (RA, neutropenia, splenomegaly)
- Sjogrens syndrome AKA sicca syndrome
- Anaemia of chronic disease
- CVD
- Episcleritis and scleritis
- Rheumatoid nodules
- Amyloidosis
What are the investigations for RA?
- Check rheumatoid factor
- If RF negative, check anti-CCP antibodies
- Cehck inflammatory markers e.g. CRP and ESR
- X ray hands and feet
What imaging can be used for RA?
Ultrasound scan to confirm synovitis - useful when clinical examinations are unclear
Xray
What are the Xray changes in RA?
Joint destruction and deformity
Soft tissue swelling
Periarticular osteopenia
Boney erosions
When should a referral for rheumatoid arthritis be made?
Adult with persistent synovitis even if negative RF, anti-CCP antibodies and inflammatory markers
What is the DAS28 score?
Disease activity score (28 joints are assessed)
Points are given for swollen joints, tender joints, ESR/CRP results
Useful in monitoring disease acitivity and response to treatment
Which RA patients have a worse prognosis?
- Younger onset
- Male
- More joints and organs affected
- Presence of RF and anti-CCP
- Erosions seen on X-ray
What is the 1st line treatment for RA flare ups?
Short course of steroids
NSAIDS/COX 2 inhibitors (with PPI)
What is the stepwise progressive use of DMARDs in RA?
1st: Methotrexate, leflunomide or sulfasalazine (hydroxychloroquine in mild disease)
2nd: Use 2 in combination
3rd: Methotrexate plus biologic therapy e.g. TNF alpha inhibitor
4th: methotrexate plus rituximab
What type of drugs are infliximab, adalimumab?
Anti-TNF (biologic therapies)
What are the biologics worth remembering?
Adalimumab, infliximab and etanercept (all TNF inhibitors)
Name some other classes of biologic therapies?
Anti-TNF
Anti-CD20
Anti-IL6
JAK inhibitors
What are the risks with biologics?
Serious infection
Reactivation of latent TB and hep B
How does methotrexate work?
Interferes with metabolism of folate also suppressing the immune system.
Taken once a week along with 5mg folic acid on diff day to methotrexate
What are some side effects of methotrexate?
- Mouth ulcers
- Liver toxicity
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Bone marrow suppression and leukopenia
- Teratogenic (harmful to pregnancy)
How does leflunomide work?
Immunosuppressant - interfers with production of pyrimidine (component of RNA and DNA)
What are some side effects of leflunomide?
- Mouth ulcers and mucositis
- Increased blood pressure
- Rashes
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Teratogenic
- Liver toxicity
- Bone marrow suppression and leukopenia
What is sulfasalazine?
Immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory
What are some side effects of sulfasalazine?
Temporary male infertility (reduced sperm count)
Bone marrow suppression
What is hydroxychloriquine?
Traditionally an anti-malarial but also an immunosuppressant interferes with toll-like receptors disrupting antigen presentation
Thought to be safe in pregnancy
What are some side effects of hydroxychloroquine?
- Nightmares
- Reduced visual acuity
- Liver toxicity
- Skin pigmentation
How do anti-TNF drugs work?
Block TNF - a cytokine involved in inflammation
What are some anti-TNF drugs?
- Adalimumab
- Infliximab (both monoclonal antibodies)
- Enteracept (protein that binds TNF to Fc portion of IgG)
What are some side effects of anti-TNF drugs?
- Severe infection and sepsis
- Reactivation of TB anf Hep B
What is Rituximab?
Monoclonal antibody that targets CD20 protein on surface of B cells (used for immunosuppression in auti-immune conditions and cancers related to B cells)
What are the unique side effects of:
Methotrexate
Leflunomide
Sulfasalazine
Hydroxychloroquine
Anti-TNF medications
Rituximab: Night sweats and thrombocytopenia
Methotrexate: pulmonary fibrosis
Leflunomide: Hypertension and peripheral neuropathy
Sulfasalazine: Male infertility (reduces sperm count)
Hydroxychloroquine: Nightmares and reduced visual acuity
Anti-TNF medications: Reactivation of TB or hepatitis B
Rituximab: Night sweats and thrombocytopenia
What hand joints are typically affected in psoriatic arthritis (inflammatory arthritis)?
Wrists, DIPs (MCP NOT AFFECTED UNLIKE RA)
What are some recognised patterns of rheumatoid arthritis?
Symmetrical polyarthritis = similarly to rheumatoid arthritis, more common in women. The hands, wrists, ankles and DIP joints are affected. The MCP joints are less commonly affected (unlike rheumatoid).
Asymmetrical pauciarthritis affecting mainly the digits (fingers and toes) and feet. Pauciarthritis describes when the arthritis only affects a few joints.
Spondylitic pattern is more common in men. It presents with:
- Back stiffness
- Sacroiliitis
- Atlanto-axial joint involvement
Other areas can be affected:
- Spine
- Achilles tendon
Plantar fascia
How does psoriatic arthritis present?
Plaques on the skin
Pitting of the nails
Onycholysis (separation of nail from nail bed)
Dactylitis (inflammation of full finger)
Enthesitis (inflammation of the entheses, which are the points of insertion of tendons into bone)
What are some other associations of psoriatic arthritis?
Conjunctivitis / anteior uveitis
Aortitis
Amyloidosis
What are the xray changes for psoriatic arthritis?
Periostitis = inflammation of the periosteum causing a thickened and irregular outline of the bone
Ankylosis = bones joining together causing joint stiffening
Osteolysis = destruction of bone
Dactylitis = inflammation of the whole digit and appears on the xray as soft tissue swelling
Pencil-in-cup appearance
What is arthritis mutilans?
Severe form of psoriatic arthrits in phalanxes
Osterlysis of the bone around the joint causing progressive shortening of digit = telescopic finger
What are the medication options for psoriatic arthritis?
NSAIDs for pain
DMARDs (methotrexate, leflunomide or sulfasalazine)
Anti-TNF medication (entanercept, infliximab or adalimumab)
Ustekinumab is last line (after anti-TNF medications) = monoclonal antibody targetting IL 12 and 23
Reactive arthritis causes what ?
What gene is it linked to?
Used to be known as Reiter’s syndrome - synovitis occurs in joint
Acute monoarthritis (usually lower limb = leg)
No infection in the joint (unlike sepsis)
Linked to HLA B27 gene (part of seronegative spongyloarthropathies)
What are the most common causes of reactive arthritis?
Gastroenteritis
STIs
What are the symptoms of reactive arthritis?
Balanitis (dermatitis of head of penis)
Anterior uveititis
Bilateral conjunctivitis
What is the management for reactive arthritis?
Give abx until septic arthritis is ruled out
Aspirate joint and send for gram staining, cultures, sensitity and crystal examination
What is the management of reactive arthritis?
NSAIDs
Steroid injections
Systemic steroids may be required
Recurrent cases = DMARDs or anti-TNF medications
What are the seronegative spondyloarthropathies?
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Reactive arthritis
All related to HLA B27
What joints are affected in Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Sacroiliac joints
Vertebral column
What is the classic finding on X-Ray for Ank Spondylitis?
Bamboo spine (due to fusion of spine)
What is the presenting feature of Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Lower back pain and stiffness
Sacroiliac pain
In 20s usually and affects men: women equally
When is the pain from Ankylosing spondylitis worse?
What is a key complication of AS?
Night and in morning (worse with rest)
Vertebral fractures
What are some associations of anylosing spondylitis?
Systemic symptoms = weight loss, fatigue
Chest pain = involvement of costovertebral and costosternal joints
Enthesitis (causing plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonitis)
Dactylitis
Anterior Uveitis
Aoritits
Heart block (fibrosis of heart’s conductive system)
Pulmonary fibrosis
How is Schober’s test performed?
What indicates a normal ROM?
Patient stand straight - find L5 vertebrae - mark 10cm above and 5cm below (15cm apart - pt bends forwards and assess distance)
>20cm between points on back
What investigations are there for Ank Spond?
Inflammatory markers (CRP and ESR) raised
HLA B27 genetic testing
X ray of the spine
MRI of spine can show bone marrow oedema early in disease before any X-ray changes
What are the x-ray changes for Ank Spond?
- Bamboo spine
- Squaring of the vertebral bodies
- Subchondral sclerosis and erosions
- Syndesmophytes = areas of bone growth where the ligaments insert into the bone
- Ossification of the ligaments, discs and joints. This is where these structures turn to bone.
- Fusion of the facet, sacroiliac and costovertebral joints
What is the management of Ank Spond?
NSAIDs to help with pain (if not adequately treated afrer 2-4 weeks of max dose then switch to another NSAID)
Steroids (oral / IM / joint injections)
Anti-TNF (e.g. etanercept or monoclonal antibody against TNF e.g. infliximab, adalimumab or certolizumab pegol)
Secukinumab is a monoclonal antibody against IL-17 (recommended if response to NSAIDs and TNF inhibitors is inadequate)
What are some additional management steps for patients with ANK SPOND?
- Physio
- Exercise
- Avoid smoking
- Bisphosponates for osteoporosis
- Treat complications
What is systemic lupus erythematosus?
Inflammatory autoimmune connective tissue disorder
(erythematosus refers to typical red malar rash across face)
What is the disease course of SLE?
Relapsing-remitting
What are the leading causes of death in SLE?
Cardiovascular disease
Infection
(chronic inflammation cause shortened life expectancy)
What antibodies are present in SLE?
Anti-nuclear antibodies (antibodies to proteins within persons own cell nucleus)
How does SLE present?
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Arthralgia
- Myalgia
- Fever
- Photosensitive malar rash
- Lymphadenopathy
- SOB
- Pleuritic chest pain
- Mouth ulcers
- Hair loss
- Raynauds
What investigations are there for SLE?
- Autoantibodies
- FBC (anaemia of chronic disease)
- C3 and C4 levels (decreased in active disease)
- CRP and ESR (raised with active inflammation)
- Immunoglobulins (raised due to activation of B cells with inflammation)
- Urine protein: creatinine ratio for proteinuria
- Renal biopsy for lupus nephritis
What autoantibody is SLE associated with?
Anit-nuclear antibodies ANA = 85% (also autoimmune hepatitits)
anti-dsDNA (very specific to SLE and vary with disease activity)