Rheumatoid arthritis
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Rheumatoid arthritis
Pathology
Bone disorders
Osteomyelitis
Bone tumors
Chondrosarcoma
Osteochondroma
Achondroplasia
Arthrogryposis
Cleidocranial dysplasia
Club foot
Craniosynostosis
Flat feet
Genu valgum
Genu varum
Osteogenesis imperfecta
Pectus excavatum
Pigeon toe
Lordosis, kyphosis, and scoliosis
Osteomalacia and rickets
Osteopetrosis
Osteoporosis
Osteosclerosis
Paget disease of bone
Musculoskeletal injuries and trauma
Degenerative disc disease
Sciatica
Spinal disc herniation
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolysis
Achilles tendon rupture
Anterior cruciate ligament injury
Iliotibial band syndrome
Meniscus tear
Patellar tendon rupture
Patellofemoral pain syndrome
Sprained ankle
Unhappy triad
Compartment syndrome
Rhabdomyolysis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Erb-Duchenne palsy
Klumpke paralysis
Sciatica
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Ulnar claw
Winged scapula
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Dislocated shoulder
Erb-Duchenne palsy
Klumpke paralysis
Radial head subluxation (Nursemaid elbow)
Rotator cuff tear
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Ulnar claw
Winged scapula
Musculoskeletal system pathology review
Back pain: Pathology review
Bone disorders: Pathology review
Bone tumors: Pathology review
Gout and pseudogout: Pathology review
Muscular dystrophies and mitochondrial myopathies: Pathology review
Myalgias and myositis: Pathology review
Neuromuscular junction disorders: Pathology review
Pediatric musculoskeletal disorders: Pathology review
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis: Pathology review
Scleroderma: Pathology review
Seronegative and septic arthritis: Pathology review
Sjogren syndrome: Pathology review
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): Pathology review
Assessments
Rheumatoid arthritis
Flashcards
0 / 17 complete
USMLE® Step 1 questions
0 / 12 complete
High Yield Notes
15 pages
Flashcards
Rheumatoid arthritis
of complete
Questions
USMLE® Step 1 style questions USMLE
of complete
| Laboratory value | Result |
| Sodium | 145 mmol/L |
| Potassium | 3.7 mmol/L |
| Chloride | 102 mmol/L |
| Bicarbonate | 30 mmol/L |
Imaging reveals obstruction of the small intestine. The patient is taken to the operating room, undergoes endotracheal intubation, and surgical adhesiolysis is performed. Three hours later, neurological examination reveals areflexia and impaired sensation in all extremities. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for the neurological defects?
External References
First Aid
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
Amyloidosis
with rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Anemia of chronic disease p. 429
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Carpal tunnel syndrome p. 455
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Glucocorticoids
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Hydroxychloroquine
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Methotrexate p. 446
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Neutropenia
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) p. 499
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Obesity
osteoarthritis/rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Pericarditis
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
anemia of chronic disease and p. 429
autoantibody p. 113
azathioprine for p. 448
biliary cirrhosis p. 404
carpal tunnel syndrome and p. 456
celecoxib for p. 499
etanercept for p. 501
HLA-DR4 and p. 98
immunosuppressants p. 118
infliximab/adalimumab for p. 501
labs/findings p. 722
leflunomide for p. 499
methotrexate for p. 448
rituximab for p. 120, 450
uveitis p. 555
Sjögren syndrome p. 478
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Splenomegaly
rheumatoid arthritis p. 476
Transcript
Content Reviewers
Contributors
In rheumatoid arthritis, “arthr-“ refers to joints, “-itis” means inflammation, and “rheumatoid” comes from rheumatism, which more broadly refers to a musculoskeletal illness.
So, rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory disorder that mostly affects the joints, but can also involve other organ systems like the skin and lungs as well.
Alright, so a healthy joint typically has two bones covered with articular cartilage at the ends.
Articular cartilage is a type of connective tissue that acts like a protective cushion - a lubricated surface for bones to smoothly glide against.
One type of joint, like the knee joint is called a synovial joint.
A synovial joint connects two bones with a fibrous joint capsule that is continuous with the periosteum or outer layer of both bones.
The fibrous capsule is lined with a synovial membrane that has cells that produce synovial fluid and remove debris.
The synovial fluid is normally a viscous fluid like the jelly-like part of a chicken egg and it helps lubricate the joint.
To help serve these synovial cells, the synovial membrane also has blood vessels and lymphatics running through it.
Together, the synovial membrane and the articular cartilage form the inner lining of the joint space.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune process that is typically triggered by an interaction between a genetic factor and the environment.
For example, a person with a certain gene for an immune protein like human leukocyte antigen, or HLA- DR1 and HLA–DR4, might develop rheumatoid arthritis after getting exposed to something in the environment like cigarette smoke or a specific pathogen like a bacteria that lives in the intestines.
These environmental factors can cause modification of our own antigens, such as IgG antibodies or other proteins like type II collagen or vimentin.
Τype II collagen and vimentin can get modified through a process called citrullination.
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder of autoimmune origin that is primarily characterized by progressive, symmetric joint destruction, especially in the wrists and fingers, but may also affect other joints and many organs, such as the skin, heart, blood vessels, and lungs. Symptoms of RA include fatigue, joint pain, stiffness, and swelling, which can lead to decreased range of motion and joint deformity. RA is a chronic condition and treatment is focused on managing symptoms and preventing further joint damage. Treatment options include medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic agents, physical therapy, and in some cases, surgery.
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