MSK Flashcards
(130 cards)
Spondyloarthropathies
Group of chronic rheumatic inflammatory conditions, associated with tissue type HLA-B27
AS, ReA, PsA, enteropathic arthritis (joint problems related to IBD)
Ankylosing spondylitis
chronic inflammatory disease of the spine and sacroiliac joints (axial skeleton)
AS Patho
- Enthesitis (inflammation at site of ligament, tendon and capsule insertion into bone) - lesions heal by fibrosis/ossification - formation of syndesmophytes (new bone) and bony fusion (ankylosis) of joints
Eg bamboo spine (fusion of spinous processes)
Extra-articular features - the As
- anterior uveitis
- amyloidosis
- apical lung fibrosis
- aortic regurgitation
- AV node block
- achilles tendonitis - due to enthesitis
HLA-B27 - positive doesn’t mean you have it, but most with AS are positive
AS Px
Arthritis in axial skeleton
Typically young man, lower back pain, stiffness
Pain at night, improves on getting up
Pain radiates from sacroiliac joints to hips
Progression to kyphotic position
Flare ups
Peripheral arthritis - 1/2 joints, asymmetrical
Peripheral enthesitis
Features of spondyloarthropathies
SPINEACHE
Sausage digit (dactylitis) Psoriasis Inflammatory back pain NSAID good response Enthesitis (heel) Arthritis Crohn's/colitis/elevated CRP (but can be normal) HLA-B27 Eye (uveitis)
AS lx
Bloods - ERS/CRP raised, anaemia, HLA-B27 positive (not dx - some negative but still have AS)
Spirometry - may show restriction - fibrosis, kyphosis
X-ray - changes later in disease (eg joint fusion)
MR
AS Mx
Exercise/physio NSAID - eg diclofenac DMARD - eg methotrexate anti-TNF - infliximab, etanercept Local steroid injections Surgery - straighten spine, replace hip
AS Cx
Increased CVD, osteoporosis risk
Spinal fusion - resp problems
Blindness from recurrent uveitis
Bone tumours
Primary rare
Secondary - metastases from breast, prostate, kidney, lung, thyroid
Can be benign (may cause pain)
Bone tumours patho
benign
osteochondroma (in metaphysis of long bones)
giant cell tumour (in epiphysis of long bones)
osteoblastomas and osteoid osteomas (from osteoblasts)
malignant osteosarcomas fibrosarcomas chrondrosarcomas (cartilage) Ewing's tumour
metastases are osteolytic (prostate often osteosclerotic too - increased bone density on xray)
Bone tumours Px
signs
tender
fatigue
anaemia
symptoms pain, unremitting, worse at night wt loss malaise pyrexia aches, pains, (maybe related to hypercalcaemia)
Bone tumours Ix
skeletal isotope scan X rays MRI Serum ALP from bone raised Hypercalcaemia PSA raised with prostatic metastases
Bone tumours Mx
Analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs Radiotherapy Chemo Hormonal therapy Bisphosphonates - alendronate Surgery
Gout
Arthritis due to deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals within joints
A crystal arthritis
Gout patho
Renal, drugs, diet -> excessive urate -> urate crystals -> phagocyte activation -> inflammation
Acute inflammation - gout attack
Long-term deposition - tophaceous gout
causes - underexcretion/overproduction
alcohol, diet, drugs, HTN, renal impairment, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, excess meat, shellfish, offal, hyperuricaemia
Gout Px
hot, swollen joints shiny red, taut pain inflammation, fever, malaise tophi - long-term (large crystal deposits)
Gout DDx
septic arthritis, pseudogout, reactive arthritis, OA, RA
Gout Ix
X-ray - BETS Bony hooks (from erosions) Erosions - punched out Tophi - more opaque Space intact (no loss of joint space)
Polarised light microscopy of aspirated synovial fluid - negative birefringent needles
U+E - serum uric acid, urea, creatinine
USS/CT/MRI
Gout Mx
NSAIDs, colchicine (inhibits phagocyte activation, inflammation), intra-articular steroids, rest, ice
Lose weight, reduce diet factors
Allopurinol / febuxostat (inhibits purine conversion into uric acid by xanthine oxidase)
Pseudogout
deposition of calcium pyrophosphate crystals (CPP) on joint surface
Pseudogout patho
CPP crystal deposition, inflammation
Knee > wrist > shoulder > ankle > elbow
Acute attack triggers - trauma, illness, surgery, blood transfusion…
Pseudogout Px
Monoarthritic
severe pain, stiffness, swelling
fever
synovitis
Pseudogout Ix
X ray - chondrocalcinosis - linear calcification parallel to articular surfaces
Polarised light microscopy - positively birefringent rhomboids
FBC
Pseudogout Mx
Reduce food with high purine content
NSAIDs, analgesia, aspiration, joint injection, physio, rest
Anti-rheumatics - methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine
Surgery, synovectomy