Seronegative spondyloarthropathies (R3) Flashcards
What are seronegative spondyloarthropathies?
Group of inflammatory joint disorders characterised by:
- Lack of RF (‘seronegative’)
- Axial skeleton involvement (sacroiliitis and spondylitis)
- HLA-B27 association
State the following about seronegative spondyloarthropathies:
- Familial/Hereditary
- Number of joints involved
- Symmetric/asymmetric
- Intra/Extra articular features? (incl examples)
- Familial aggregation
- Oligo-arthritis
- Asymmetrical
- Extra-articular features
List 4 Extra-articular manifestations of seronegative spondyloarthropathies
- uveitis
- pulmonary fibrosis (upper zone)
- amyloidosis
- aortic regurgitation
List 4 features of seronegative spondyloarthropathies
- Peripheral joint involvement- asymmetrical, lower extremities
- Uveitis
- Enthesitis: Inflamed insertion sites of tendons, eg. Achilles (image below)
- Dactylitis: Inflammation of tendons in fingers and toes
What 5 features define Inflammatory Back Pain in axial SpA
- Back pain >3 months
- Age<40
- Insidious onset
- Improvement with exercise, worse with rest
- Pain at night
What 6 conditions comprise seronegative spondyloarthropathies?
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Reactive arthritis
- Enteropathic arthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Behcet’s disease (different to above, a/w HLA-B51)
Compare and contrast 4 differences between the various spondyloarthropathies
Explain the ASAS classification for axial SpA
Below is an x-ray and MRI of axial SpA, List 4 features seen
Sacroiliitis ➞ erosions, subchondral oedema, sclerosis
Below is an x-ray and MRI of axial SpA, List 4 features seen
Spondylitis: square vertebral, syndesmophytes, Romanus lesion
What is ankylosing spondylitis?
Inflammatory arthritis involving the axial spine and sacroiliac joints with enthesitis
What age group and gender are most commonly affected by AS?
Typical presentation is a young adult male in their late teens or 20s
How does AS present?
- slow onset > 3 month history
- stiffness >30 mins in the morning
- lower back pain and sacroiliac pain in buttock region
- worse with rest, improves with movement
List 4 extra-articular manifestations of AS
(the ‘A’s)
- Anterior uveitis
- Aortitis (can lead to aortic regurgitation)
- Apical pulmonary fibrosis
- Achilles tendonitis
List 3 clinical examination tests for AS
Incl findings
Explain the Schober’s Test
Patient standing straight
Mark two points, 10cm above and 5cm below the L5 vertebrae (15cm between these)
Ask patient to bend forward maximally and measure distance between the points
< 20cm, indicates a restriction in lumbar movement → ankylosing spondylitis
List 4 investigations for AS
- Inflammatory markers (CRP and ESR)
- HLA B27
- Xray of the spine and sacrum
- MRI of the spine (bone marrow oedema in early disease)
What is the typical X-ray description of an AS spine?
“Bamboo spine”
List 4 X-ray findings seen in AS?
- Squaring of vertebral bodies
- Subchondral sclerosis and erosions
- Syndesmophytes
- Ossification of ligaments, discs and joints
- Fusion of the facet, sacroiliac and costovertebral joints