Rheumatology Highlights Flashcards
Give 2 examples of conditions studied by rheumatology
1) Rheumatoid Arthritis
2) Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
List 2 rheumatology labs
1) ESR (Erythrocyte sedimentation rate)
2) CRP (C-Reactive Protein)
An “acute phase response” accompanies __________ and ____________ inflammatory states
acute and chronic
1) Does the plasma concentration increase by at least 25% with positive or negative acute phase reactants?
2) Albumin, transferrin, antithrombin are examples of what?
1) Positive
(with negative, plasma conc. decreases by at least 25%)
2) Negative acute phase reactants
ESR, CRP, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, hepcidin, ferritin, & procalcitonin are all examples of what?
Positive acute phase reactants
____________ and ___________ antibodies are positive in 70-80% with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
RF and Anti-CCP
Elevated ESR +/- CRP (flares) could indicate what condition?
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
In Rheumatoid Arthritis, RFs react to what?
Abnormal synovial IgGs
Most commonly measured Rheumatoid Factors (RF) is ______ RF
IgM
Rheumatoid factors:
1) List some other things they’re found in
2) Who may they be falsely positive in?
1) Other chronic inflammatory diseases: SLE, Sjögren’s, etc.
-And chronic infections (Hep. B/C, syphilis, TB, etc.)
2) The elderly
True or false: Negative RF value does not exclude RA
True (bc of limited sensitivity)
Citrullination:
1) Process increases during ______________.
2) Sometimes citrullination alters peptide shape enough that the body thinks it is an ____________.
1) inflammation
2) antigen
The most specific blood test for RA (specificity ~95%)
is _________________, and a positive test helps rule in RA.
Anti-CCP Antibodies
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE):
1) What type of disease is it/ what’s the cause?
2) What are a prominent feature? Explain
1) Chronic autoimmune disease of unknown cause
2) Immunologic abnormalities, especially the production of antinuclear antibodies (ANΑ)
Are generic ANAs sensitive, specific, both, or neither?
Very sensitive but not specific
Specific ANAs include antibodies to _________________ (______) and to Smith (anti-Sm)
double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA)
Are specific types of ANAs, like antibodies to double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) and to Smith (anti-Sm), specific, sensitive, both, or neither?
Specific (but not sensitive)
What are Especially important for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)?
ANAs
True or false: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease
True
