Rheumatology & MSK Flashcards
what is the most common arthritis?
osteoarthritis
who gets osteoarthritis?
older females overweight excessive joint use trauma/malalignment etc
how do you end up with bony changes in osteoarthritis?
mechanical forces –> cartilege lost
cartilege loss = cytokines - TNFa, IL-1, NO
cytokines = cartilege cannot repair properly
loss of cartilege = bone rubbing on bone
reactive changes in bone, it is not designed to rub on bone
reactive changes you see in the bone in osteoarthritis?
loss of joint space osteophytes sclerosis subchondral cysts synovial hypertrophy
what is sclerosis in relation to arthritis?
thickening and widening of the bone at the joint
what is an osteophyte?
an area of bone which has been reactively laid down in the wrong place
what joints might be affected in osteoarthritis? (give 5)
those that are used a lot! knees hips sacro ileac cervical spine wrist carpmetacarpal - base of thumb DIP PIP
how is the pain different in osteooarthritis vs inflammatory arthritis?
osteo - morning stiffness only lasting up to 15 mins, generally worsens throughout day
RA - - stiff for 30+ mins, better with use
apart from pain, give 3 other clinical presentations of osteoarthritis?
effusion crepitus pt reports the joint 'gives way' tender to palpation deformity herbedens/bouchards nodes
what are herbedens and bouchards nodes?
soft tissue swellings on the fingers seen in the early stages of osteoarthritis herbedens = DIP bouchards = PIP (HD AND BP)
when would arthroscopy be indicated?
knee ‘locking’ indicates a loose body which can be removed (arthroscopy)
4 x ray changes typical of osteoarthritis?
LOSS L - loss of joint space O - osteophytes S - subchondral sclerosis S - subchondral cysts
some management options of osteoarthritis?
physio weight loss occupational therapy eg footwear, walking aid nsaid opioid amytriptiline topical capsaicin steroid injection hydroxychloroquine
what produces synovial fluid?
the synovial membrane
typical patient with RA?
post menpausal woman
smoker
past infection
what is the pathophysiology of RA?
a reaction to self antigens eg type II collagen, vimentin
= inflammation at the synovial membrane
= damage to soft tissue and cartilege
= damage to bone
what joints are affected in RA?
small joints
symmetrical
hands, wrists & feet
not DIP or spine
if you were examining the hands of someone with RA give 5 things you might expect to see?
DIP not affected hurts to squeeze the joints joints are warm ulnar deviation cannot make a fist z thumb swan neck deformity
are there any systemic features of RA?
myalgia, malaise and low grade fever, if the cytokines go around the body Rheumatoid nodules - skin eye inflammation eg scleritis ihd/pericarditis lung inflam
3 blood tests you could do if you suspect RA?
ESR/CRP
rheumatoid factor - low sensitivity and specificity
anti-CCP (anti- cyclic citrillunated peptide) - good specificity, sensitive enough to highlight the most severe disease
some bony changes you might see on x ray in RA?
you dont see bony changes on x ray immediately!
soft tissue swelling
periarticular ostoepenia (low bone density)
loss of joint space
subluxation
erosion
3 drugs you could give in RA?
Methotrexate sulphasalazine hydroxychloroquine infliximab short term NSAID
who gets gout?
men over 40 - esp diabetes, overweight, hypertension purine rich diet renal impairment IHD diuretics
what enzyme converts hypoxanthine to xanthine and xanthine to uric acid?
xanthine oxidase
what happens when urate crystals are deposited in the joint?
they activate phagocytes –> inflammation –> joint pain (gout)
give 2 causes of too much uric acid production, other than diet?
increased cell turnover, as in:
- myeloproliferative disorders
- psoriasis
- tumour lysis syndrome
what drugs can impair uric acid excretion?
tacrolimus
aspirin
thiazides
which joint is most commonly affected in gout?
1st MTPJ (metatarsalphalyngeal joint) - big toe
how does gout present?
usually monoarticular - big toe/foot/ankle/knee sudden onset 1-3 weeks intense pain esp at night heat, swelling, redness stiffness
what do you see in the joint aspirate in gout?
needle shaped crystals
negatively birefringent
what do you see on an x ray in gout, how can you differentiate it from other arthritis?
joint effusion
punched out lesions
no loss of joint space
no periarticular osteopenia
how do you manage acute gout?
nsaids, colchicine
intrarticular steroid inj
rest and elevate
dont start allopurinol until the acute stage has finished
what drug is first line for maintaining remission of gout?
what is the mechanism of action?
2 side effects?
allopurinol
xanthine oxidase inhibitor, stops the conversion of purines to uric acid
rash, headache, hypersensitivity
what is the second line treatment for gout, when should it not be used?
febuxostat
not for renal or hepatic impairment
what foods have high purines?
meat seafood alcohol beans/lentils mushrooms carbonated drinks / fructose
3 risk factors for pseudogout?
osteoarthritis age haemachromotosis high PTH low phosphate low magnesium hypothyroidism acromegaly illness surgery trauma
pseudogout is caused by crystals of ?
calcium pyrophosphate
what joints does pseudogout affect?
larger - knee/wrist/elbow/shoulder
symmetrical, if chronic
what kind of crystals do you see in the joint aspirate in pseudogout?
rhomboid shaped
positively birefringent
what might you see on the x ray of pseudogout?
chondrocalcinosis
calcification of cartilege
(neither is specific)
what is the management for pseudogout?
aspiration to relieve pain
NSAID/colchicine/prednisolone to relieve pain
hydroxychloroquine/methotrexate may help
some infections that commonly trigger reactive arthritis?
salmonella shigella yersinia enterocolitica chlamydia n. gonorrhoea (but more commonly causes gonococcal arthritis which is different) (STI or GI) e. coli (GI symptoms) EBV - rarely
what is the presentation of reactive arthritis?
‘can’t see, pee or climb a tree’
conjunctivitis
sterile urethritis
arthritis
what is the arthritis like in reactive arthritis?
acute
asymmetrical
lower leg
some other things (apart from conjunctivitis, urethritis and arthritis) associated with reactive arthritis?
iritis keratoderma blenorrhagica - red pustules and brown scaly feet circinate balanitis enthesitis mouth ulcers
4 investigations you would do for ?reactive arthritis?
joint aspiration - to exclude septic arthritis and gout
serology/stool culture/STI swab - to find infectious cause
X ray - enthesitis, periosteal reaction
CRP
Typical exam presentation for ankylosing spondylitis?
young male
what HLA is ankylosing spondylitis associated with?
hla b 27
explain the pathophysiology of ankylosing spondylitis?
inflammation in the anterior corners of the spine
fat is laid down
fat is replaced with bone (syndesmophites)
joint fusion
=stiffness
what joints does ankylosing spondylitis affect?
spine
sacroiliac
1-3 joints
asymetrical
what is the time course of ankylosing spondylitis?
at least 3 months
with flares/remitting
is there morning stiffness in ankylosing spondylitis?
yes
some presentations of ankylosing spondylitis? (4)
lower back or buttock pain vertebral fractures enthesitis dactylitis chest pain - costovertebral/costosternal joints eye inflammation kyphotic posture
what changes would you see on x ray in ankylosing spondylitis? (5)
bamboo spine fusion of facet joints squaring of vertebral bodies ossification syndesmophites subchondral sclerosis erosion
3 extra articular features of ankylosing spondylitis?
anterior uveitis weight loss fatigue anaemia pulmonary fibrosis aortitis
treatment for ankylosing spondylitis?
infliximab
Nsaids
steroids
osteomyelitis is?
infection of the bone
3 risk factors for osteomyelitis?
inflammatory arthritis sickle cell IVDU immunocomp diabetes prosthesis trauma
4 bacteria that commonly cause osteomyelitis?
staph aureus
pseudomonas aeruginosa
salmonella
TB
what bacteria is particularly associated with osteomyelitis in sickle cell?
salmonella
how might contigious spread come about?
from infectious soft tissue, eg an ulcer
what are some features of chronic osteomyelitis, why do they happen?
sequestrum
involcrums
because there is necrosis and the osteoblasts try to remodel
what types of bones are normally affected by haematogenous osteomyelitis?
long bones in children
vertebrae in adults
what is the clinical presentation of osteomyelitis?
rigor, sweats, malaise and fever
vertebral fractures
lesions/fractures take ages to heal
joint exudate - when infection has broken through the cortex
what is the gold standard investigation for osteomyelitis?
open bone biopsy - for culture and histology
what x ray changes would you see in osteomyelitis?
cortical erosion periosteal reaction lucency sclerosis sequestrae, involcrums
what can you see on mri and ct? - relating to rheumatology?
bone marrow inflammation
management for osteomyelitis? (3)
debridement
abx
analgaesia
2 differential diagnoses for osteomyelitis?
cellulitis charcot avascular necrosis gout fracture malignancy
what is septic arthritis?
infection of the joint
what bacteria commonly cause septic arthritis? (give 4)
staph aureus staph epidermis strep A/B/pneumoniae n. gonoorhoea pseudomonas e coli TB
what is the most common bacteria in septic arthritis?
staph aureus
what bacteria is often associated with prosthetics in septic arthritis?
staph epidermis
pseudomonas septic arthritis is usually seen in who?
elderly
immunocomp
IVDU
what joints are most commonly affected by septic arthritis?
knee
hip
shoulder
presentation of septic arthritis?
hot, tender, red, swollen
very painful
limited range of movement
fever
3 investigations for septic arthritis?
arthrocentesis (joint aspiration) –> mc&s
blood culture
plain x ray
what investigation d you do if you suspect TB septic arthritis?
synovial biopsy
3 typical antibiotics for septic arthritis?
flucloxacillin
clindamycin
ciprofloxacin
vancomycin
how does gonococcal arthritis present?
fever, arthritis, tendonitis
multiple joints
maculopapular pustular rash on palms + soles