Rheumatoid Arthritis - The Disease Flashcards
What is rheumatoid arthitis?
Autoimmune response causing chronic inflammation
What does it primarily attack?
Synovial joints
But it can affect any organ
What is a pannus?
Thickened, inflammed synovium which eats away at bones and ligaments causing destruction.
Irreversible
Who is it more common in?
Anyone but more common in:
- Females
- Smokers
- 35-45
What are the most common types of symptom?
Joint related
Which joints are most commonly affected?
Carpal
MCP
PIP
What are the common joint symptoms? (four)
Stiffness which is worse in the morning and gets better as the day goes on or with exercise
Joint effusions
Restriction of movements
Deformities
What are five types of joint deformities and what causes them?
- Swan neck and Butonniere - Tendons contracting over weak joints
- Ulnar deviation - Tensonds are on the ulnar side so pull the weak joints to the side
- Hammer toe- Tendons pulling joints
- Atlanto/axial subluxation as this is a synovial joint
- Z deformity of thumb
What is the joint position in swan neck and boutonniere?
Swan neck - Hyperextension PIP, fixed flextion DIP
Boutenniere is the opposite
What is this?
Ulnar deviation
What is this and what causes it?
Rheumatoid nodule
Subcutanous, firm non tender nodules usually found on articular surfaces
What is the most common systemic manifestation?
Constitutional symptoms - fever, weight loss, fatigue
What is this?
nailfold infarct
An example of rheumatoid vasculitis
What are the pulmonary symptoms of RA?
Pleural effusions
Pulmonary fibrosis
Pulmonary nodules
What is Caplans syndrome?
RA plus pneumoconiosis (restrictive lung disease)
What is this?
Episcleritis
What is this?
Scleromalacia perforans
What is this?
Z deformity
