Rheumatology I Flashcards

1
Q

What are autoimmune diseases

A

When the immune system recognition fails or malfunctions. Antibodies and T cells produced and directed against self

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What may initiate autoimmune disease

A
  • Defect in immunological tolerance
  • Presence of sequestrated antigen
  • Infection e.g. viruses
  • Drugs e.g. methyldopa
  • Chemicals
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the common features of autoimmune disease

A
  • Female pre-disposition
  • Positive family history
  • Response to immunosuppressant treatment
  • Patients often liable to develop other autoimmune diseases
  • Raised ESR and CRP, serum protein levels also usually raised
  • Hypergammaglobulinaemia
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the general features of non-organ specific autoimmune disease

A
  • Also called ‘connective tissue’ conditions
  • Clinical manifestation is diverse i.e. multi-systemic
  • Unified by the detection of non-specific autoantibodies in serum and various tissues
  • Disease producing process are caused by hypersensitivity reactions to see components
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is rheumatology

A

Branch of medicine concerned with the investigation, diagnosis and management of:

  • Joint disorders
  • Bone diseases
  • Muscles and soft tissues diseases
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Gives some examples of rheumatological diseases

A
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Ankylosing spondylitis
  • SLE
  • Sjogren’s syndrome
  • Osteoporosis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Paget’s disease
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is rheumatoid arthritis

A

Chronic multisystem autoimmune disease characterised by autoantibody (RF, an IgM) directed against IgG
Immune complex formation leading to complement activation, synovial inflammation and destructive joint disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What joints tend to be involved with rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Wrists
  • Index and middle metacarpophalangeal joints
  • Proximal interphalangeal joints
  • Metatarsophalangeal joints
  • Shoulders
  • Elbows
  • Hips
  • Knees
  • Ankles
  • Upper cervical spine
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are the clinical features of acute rheumatoid arthritis

A
- Insidious onset
Systemic features:
- Early morning stiffness of affected joints
- Generalised afternoon fatigue
- Malaise
- Anorexia 
- Generalised weakness
- Occasionally low-grade fever
Joint Features:
- Pain
- Swelling and stiffness
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the clinical features of chronic rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Joints are often held in flexion to minimise pain
  • Joint capsular distension
  • Flexion contractures - fixed deformities
  • Ulnar deviation of the fingers
  • Swan-neck deformities
  • Boutonniere deformities
  • Stretching of the joint capsule - joint instability
  • Wrist synovitis compressing the median curve- carpal tunnel syndrome
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the pulmonary clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Pleurisy
  • Pleural effusion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the cardiovascular clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Pericarditis
  • Myocarditis
  • Vasculitis
  • Valvulitis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the cervical spine clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Atlantoaxial subluxation

- Spinal cord compression

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the lymphatic clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis

A

Lymphadenopathy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the renal clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis

A

Secondary amyloidosis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the ocular clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Scleritis
  • Uveitis
  • Keratoconjunctivitis Wicca
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the serological findings of rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • RF +ve in ~70%

- Anti-CCP/ACPA +ve ~95%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What inflammatory markers are associated with rheumatoid arthritis

A

Elevated CRP and ESR

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What would the X-ray of hands and wrists show in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Soft tissue swelling
  • Narrowing of joint space
  • Joint erosion, subluxation and deformity
  • Periarticular osteoporosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are the FBC findings in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Normocytic anaemia
  • Neutropenia
  • Thrombocytosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the protein electrophoresis findings with rheumatoid arthritis

A

Hypergamma-globulinaemia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What management options can be used to relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Acetaminophen
  • NSAIDs
  • Intra-articular corticosteroids
  • DMARDs - relieve symptoms and slow joint damage
  • Surgery
  • Supportive measures: smoking cessation, rest, splints and appliances, nutrition and exercise
23
Q

Name some DMARDs that can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis

A

Non-biologic agents - Methotrexate, gold, antimalarials, sulfasalazine, penicillamine, azathioprine, cyclosporin, cyclophosphamide

Biologic agents - adalimumab, certolizumab, etanercept, infliximab, rituximab

24
Q

What is the dental relevance of rheumatoid arthritis

A
  • Medication - ulcerations, lichenoid reactions, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia
  • Sjogren syndrome - xerostemia, candidiasis, caries, sialodenitis
  • Atalanto-axial joint subluxation = sudden extension of neck from headrest adjustment, during endotracheal intubation
25
Q

What does ankylosing spondylitis affect

A

The axial skeleton (spine) and large peripheral joints

26
Q

Describe the early stage clinical presentation of ankylosing spondylitis

A
  • Nocturnal low back pain and morning stiffness relieved by activity
  • Para-spinal muscle spasm
  • Worsening pain and tenderness in the sacroiliac region due to sacroiliitis
27
Q

Describe the late stage clinical presentation of ankylosing spondylitis

A
  • Hip joint involvement - severe hip arthritis
  • Kyphosis
  • Loss of lumbar lordosis
  • Fixed bent-forward posturing
28
Q

What are the ocular clinical presentations of ankylosing spondylitis

A

Recurrent acute uveitis

29
Q

What are the cardiovascular clinical presentations of ankylosing spondylitis

A
  • Aortic insufficiency
  • Aortitis
  • Angina
  • Pericarditis
  • Cardiac conduction abnormalities
30
Q

What are the pulmonary clinical presentations of ankylosing spondylitis

A
  • Compromised pulmonary function

- Limited chest expansion

31
Q

What are the clinical presentations of the tendons in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

A

Achilles and patellar tendinitis

32
Q

What are the early findings of spine x-ray imaging in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

A

Symmetric changes:

  • Subchondral erosions - sclerosis or later narrowing and eventually fusions in the sacroiliac joints
  • Upper lumbar vertebral squaring with sclerosis at the corners
  • Spotty ligamentous calcification
33
Q

What are the late findings of spine x-ray imaging in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

A
  • Bamboo spine appearance, resulting from prominent syndesmophytes
  • Diffuse paraspinal ligamentous calcification
  • Osteoporosis
34
Q

Besides X rays what special investigations are used for patients with ankylosing spondylitis

A

FBC

Inflammatory markets/acute phase reactants

35
Q

What are the management options and treatment goals of ankylosing spondylitis

A
- Management similar to rheumatoid arthritis
Treatment goals:
- Pain relief
- Maintaining joint range of motion
- Preventing end-organ damage
36
Q

What are the dental relevances of ankylosing spondylitis

A
  • Problems with giving GA due to restricted mouth opening, respiratory and possibly cardiac complications
  • TMJ involvement in 10%
  • Patient may have difficulty placing neck on headrest
37
Q

What is affected by psoriatic arthritis

A
  • Distal interphalangeal joints of fingers and toes
  • Can also affect spine and sacroiliac joints
  • Resembles RA but usually milder
  • Psoriasis of the skins/nails may precede or follow joint involvement
38
Q

What is needed for psoriatic arthritis diagnosis

A
  • Usually based on clinical findings
  • ESR is often normal
  • Radiograph may help but routine blood tests are unhelpful
39
Q

What are the management options of psoriatic arthritis

A
  • Treat with drug therapy similar to RA and sometimes with phototherapy
  • Analgesia, NSAIDs and intra-articular corticosteroids can be used
  • Anti TNF drugs control both arthritis and the skin lesions
40
Q

What are the dental relevances of psoriatic arthritis

A
  • May rarely affect TMJ
  • Oral mucosa psoriasis lesions are occasionally seen on histology
  • Methotrexate or anti-TNF agents may cause oral ulcers
41
Q

What is reactive arthritis (reiter’s syndrome)

A
  • A triad of arthritis, urethritis, conjunctivitis
42
Q

What may reactive arthritis follow on from and who is usually affected by it

A
  • Typically affects males
  • May follow gut infections like salmonella or sexually transmitted infections
  • Reactive arthritis usually begins 1-2 weeks after infection
43
Q

What are the management options of reiter’s syndrome (reactive arthritis)

A
  • No specific diagnostic test
  • WCC and ESR raised
  • Antibiotics, NSAIDs, steroids injections physiotherapy
44
Q

What are the dental relevances of reactive arthritis

A
  • Migratory glossitis-like pattern lesion on the oral mucosa

- Oral ulcerations may also be frequent

45
Q

What is sjogren’s syndrome characterised by

A

Autoimmune exocrinopathy characterised by lymphocyte infiltration and progressive acinar destruction into the salivary and lacrimal glands

46
Q

What are the 2 classifications of sjogren’s syndrome and the symptoms associated with each

A
Primary (sicca syndrome):
- Dry mouth
- Dry eyes (keratoconjunctivitis sicca)
Secondary:
- Dry mouth and eye
- Connective tissue disease
47
Q

Who is most commonly affected by sjogren’s syndrome

A

Male:Female = 1:9

48
Q

What is the dental relevance of sjogren’s syndrome

A
  • Xerostemia: candidiasis, caries, denture issues, disturbed taste, ascending sialodenitis
  • Early onset lymphocytic infiltration: swelling of parotid gland
  • Late onset lymphocytic infiltration: indicative of progression to lymphoma
  • Secondary sjogren syndrome: anaemia
49
Q

How is sjogren’s syndrome managed

A
  • Dry mouth: sipping sugar free drinks, salivary substitutes
  • Oral candidiasis: Nystatin rinses/amphocterin mix
  • Ascending parotitis: antibiotic therapy
  • Preventative dental care
50
Q

What are the ocular clinical features of sjogren’s syndrome

A

Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca

51
Q

What are the oral clinical features of sjogren’s syndrome

A
  • Xerostemia
  • Lobulated tongue
  • Infections - sialadenitis, caries, candidiasis
52
Q

What serological findings indicate Sjogren’s syndrome

A
  • Antinuclear antibodies
  • Anti-Ro (SS-A) or La (SS-B)
  • Increased ESR
  • Hypergammaglobulinaemia (RF)
53
Q

What oral findings indicate Sjogren’s syndrome

A
  • Sialometry (<1.5ml/15min without stimulation)
  • Estimation of parotid salivary flow rate (>1ml/min without stimulation)
  • Labial gland biopsy
54
Q

What ocular findings indicate Sjogren’s syndrome

A

Schimer test (Impaired lacrimation)