Rheumatology Flashcards
(48 cards)
management of raynaud’s
- 1st line
- 2nd line
1st line: calcium channel blocker eg nifedipine
2nd line: IV prostacyclin (epoprostenol) infusion
what suggests primary raynaud’s (2)
<40y old
bilateral symptoms
what suggests secondary raynauds (6)
- unilateral onset
- rash
- older - >40
- autoantibodies
- fts suggestive of a CTD - arthritis, recurrent miscarriages, calcinosis
- digital ulcers; chillblains
secondary causes of raynauds (8)
- CTDs: scleroderma (most common), RA, SLE
- Leukaemia
- Type 1 cryogloublinaemia, cold agglutinins
- Use of vibrating tools
- Drugs: COCP, ergot
- Cervical rib (extra rib above 1st rib > thoracic outlet syndrome > raynauds)
patterns of psoriatric arthropathy
- symmetric polyarthritis (most common: 30-40% - like RA)
- asymm oligoarthritis - usually hands and feet. 20-30%
- sacroilitis
- DIP joint disease
- arthritis mutilans
Xray of psoriatric arthropathy
often have the unusual combination of coexistence of erosive changes and new bone formation
periostitis
‘pencil-in-cup’ appearance
other signs of psoriatric arthritis
psoriatic skin lesions
periarticular disease - tenosynovitis and soft tissue inflammation resulting in:
- enthesitis: inflammation at the site of tendon and ligament insertion e.g. Achilles tendonitis, plantar fascitis
- tenosynovitis: typically of the flexor tendons of the hands
- dactylitis: diffuse swelling of a finger or toe
nail changes: pitting, onycholysis
whats the first Ix to do for septic arthritis
synovial fluid sampling
- only dont do 1st if septic/unstable
abx for septic arthritis
IV fluclox - or clindamycin if pen allergic - for 6-12wks
common bacteria that cause septic arthritis
- staph aureus (most common)
- n gonorrhoea (young and sexually active)
most common site = knee
reactive arthritis symptoms
Triad of symptoms (cant see, pee or climb a tree)
Urethritis
Conjuncitivitis
Arthritis
reactive arthritis causes (bacteria)
STI (more common in men): chlamydia trachomatis
Dysentery: shigella flexneri, salmonella typhimurium, salmonella enteritidis, yersinina enterocolitica, campylobacter
reactive arthritis mx
Symptomatic: anlagesia, NSAIDs, steroid injections into the joint
Persistent disease: can use sulfasalazine, methotrexate
important
mx of ank spond
1st line: exercise + NSAIDs; physio
if persistently high disease activity despite this: anti-TNF therapy
DMARDS for RA only useful if peripheral joints involved (EG sulfasalazine)
XR changes seen in ank spond
Plain XR: most useful Ix in diagonsis - Can be normal early on LATER - Sacroilitis (subchrondral erosions, sclerosis) - Squaring of lumbar vertebrae - Bamboo spine - Syndesmophytes (ossification of outer fibres of annulus fibrosus [exterior of intervertebral disc]) - Apical fibrosis on CXR
If negative XR but high clinical suspicion > MRI
- Signs of early inflam involving SI joints (bone marrow oedema) confirm dx
paget’s disease: blood levels of calcium/phosphate/other tests
- normal value of calcium, phosphate
- high ALP
Other markers of bone turnover will be high:
- procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP)
- serum C-telopeptide (CTx)
- urinary N-telopeptide (NTx)
- urinary + serum hydroxyproline
paget’s disease: tx and indications for it
Indications for tx
- Bone pain
- Skull or long bone deformity
- Fracture
- Periarticular paget’s
Tx
- Bisphosphonate (oral risedronate or IV zoledronate)
- Calcitonin – less commonly used now
how to tell drug induced lupus and SLE apart
drug induced: dont tend to see renal or nervous system involvement.
negative Anti-ds-DNA antibodies. positive anti-histone antibodies
normal SLE: positive for dsDNA. negative for anti histone
dermatomyositis:
- Abs most specific
- Abs most common to it
most specific: Anti-Mi-2
most common: ANA
dermatomyositis fts
Proximal pain and tenderness Heliotrope sign (violaceous rash over eyelids) Shawl sign (rash over upper arms, shoulders & upper back)
dermatomyostitis tx
prednisolone
pseudogout: whats seen in the joint fluid
weakly positively birefringent rhomboid-shaped crystals
pseudogout RF
Haemochromatosis
Hyperparathyroid
Low Mg or low phosphate
Acromegaly, wilsons
pseudogout mx
Aspiration of joint fluid (to excl septic arthritis)
NSAIDs or steroids (into the joint, IM or oral)