Orthopaedics and Rheumatology Flashcards
(170 cards)
Presentation of rheumatoid arthritis
- swollen, painful joints in the hands and feet
- stiffness worse in the morning
- gradually gets worse with larger joints becoming involved
What are the poor prognostic factors for rheumatoid arthritis?
- anti CCP
- rheumatoid factor
- early erosions on X ray (<2 years)
- HLA DR4
- Extra articular features
Management of rheumatoid arthritis
- dMARD with a bridging course of prednisolone
- methotrexate/sulfasalazine
- hydroxychloroquine if mild or palinodromic
How can you monitor response to treatment of rheumatoid arthritis?
- crp
- disease activity score e.g. DAS28
Management of flare of rheumatoid
corticosteroid
Indication for TNF-a in rheumatoid arthritis
Failed response to at least two dMARDs
Name 3 TNFa inhibitors
- etanercept
- infliximab
- adalimumab
X ray findings of rheumatoid arthritis
- loss of joint space
- juxta-articular osteoporosis
- soft tissue swelling
- periarticular erosion
- subluxation
methotrexate side effects
- myelosuppression
- pneumonitis
- liver cirrhosis
Side effects of sulfasalazine
- rashes
- oligospermia
- heinz body anaemia
- interstitial lung disease
hydroxychloroquine side effects
- retinopathy
- corneal deposits
What are the patterns of psoriatic arthritis?
- symmetric
- asymmetrical
- sacroillitis
- DIP joint disease
- arthritis mutilans
Signs of psoriatic arthritis
- psoriatic skin lesions
- periarticular disease: enthesitis, tenosynovitis, dactylitis
- nail changes: pitting, onycholysis
X ray psoriatic arthritis
- pencil in cup appearance
- periostitis
- erosive changes, new bone formation
Management of psoriatic arthritis
- NSAID if mild
- dMARD (methotrexate) if moderate or severe
- monoclonal antibodies such as ustekinumab (targets both IL-12 and IL-23) and secukinumab (targets IL-17)
Pseudogout
deposition of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in the synovium
Risk factors of pseudogout
- haemochromotosis
- wilsons
- hyperparathyroidism
- acromegaly
- low magnesium, low phosphate
-age
Features of pseudogout
- knee, wrist, shoulder
- joint aspiration: weakly-positively birefringent rhomboid-shaped crystals
- x-ray: chondrocalcinosis
What are the main features of gout?
- pain
- swelling
- erythema
commonly affected joints in gout
- most commonly the 1st MTP joint
- others: ankle, wrist, knee
Investigations for gout
- measure the uric acid level if >360 supports the diagnosis, if under and symptoms still suggest gout then repeat in 2 weeks
- synovial fluid analysis (needle shaped negatively birefringent monosodium urate crystals)
What is the management of an acute flare of gout?
- NSAIDs
- Colchicine
- if the patient is already taking allopurinol they should continue taking it