BIOMECHANICS OF ARTHRITIS AND HUMAN BODY PAIN
Megh R Goyal in Biomechanics of Artificial Organs and Prostheses, 2014
Arthritis is a leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting about one in every six Americans. It is one of the two most common forms: osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. These two forms of arthritis are part of a group of more than 100 rheumatic disorders. Arthritis, regardless of the cause, typically makes joints painful, stiff, and swollen. In order to present an initial idea of how arthritis affects the joints, Figs. 1 and 2 indicate the effects of arthritis in an arthritic hip joint. In the arthritic hip joint, it is possible to see the damaged cartilage in the ball of the femur and the area of the joint in the pelvis bone.
Arthritis
Harry Griffiths in Musculoskeletal Radiology, 2008
A traditional approach to arthritis would probably start with the most common types of disease and then go on to describe the rarer ones. Degenerative arthritis, or osteoarthritis, is the most common form of hypertrophic arthritis seen mainly in large, weight-bearing joints in older patients. The superior aspect of the hip joint is the weight-bearing surface; hence, pure degenerative arthritis manifests itself clinically by narrowing of the superior part of the joint with sclerosis, osteophyte formation, and lateral migration of the femoral head. Most of the erosive arthritides such as juvenile chronic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis cause central destruction of the joint cartilage in the hip. Degenerative arthritis in the small bones of the foot can be seen as a result of mechanical problems in the foot, such as pes planus, pes cavus, and metatarsus varus. Rheumatoid arthritis has an insidious onset and starts with fatigue and malaise, and the patient will complain of diffuse musculoskeletal pain.
The rheumatoid foot
Maneesh Bhatia in Essentials of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 2021
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterised by synovitis and periarticular bone loss. This chapter aims to provide a guide on how to assess a patient with RA, including commonly encountered anti-arthritic medications, conservative measures and surgical options available. Laboratory investigations that should be performed in patients with suspected RA include erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies. Radiographic evaluation should include weight-bearing views of the foot and ankle. Prescription footwear is an important adjunct therapy in RA patients because they have lost the fatty protective plantar tissue, have hypersensitive and inflamed skin and unstable joints. The orthotics function to: redistribute weight-bearing forces, decrease vertical and shear pressure and also horizontal movement within the foot. In the ankle and hindfoot, fluoroscopic guided injections have been shown to be superior to blind injections for diagnostic purposes and temporary relief of synovitis or arthritis.
Synovial concentrations of the angiogenic peptides bFGF and VEGF do not discriminate rheumatoid arthritis from other forms of inflammatory arthritis
Published in Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 2004
B. Gudbjörnsson, R. Christofferson, A. Larsson
Objectives: To investigate whether concentrations of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in aspirated synovial fluid can be used to distinguish rheumatoid arthritis from other forms of inflammatory arthritis. Methods: bFGF and VEGF concentrations were measured in aspirated synovial fluid and serum samples from 66 patients with active arthritis (clinical diagnoses: rheumatoid arthritis (35 patients), psoriatic arthritis (9), reactive arthritis (11) and arthritis UNS (11)) utilizing commercial ELISA kits. Results: In comparison with controls, elevated concentrations of VEGF were found in synovial fluid compared with in serum in all forms of arthritis. There were no significant differences in synovial fluid bFGF or VEGF concentrations between rheumatoid arthritis and the other forms of inflammatory arthritis. Conclusion: Both serum bFGF and VEGF concentrations were increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients treated with steroids had lower synovial fluid bFGF concentrations. Synovial fluid levels of bFGF and VEGF were elevated but could not be used to distinguish rheumatoid arthritis from other forms of inflammatory arthritis.
Craniomandibular disorders in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis: A clinical study
Published in Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, 1992
Mauno Könönen, Bengt Wenneberg, Anna Kallenberg
Sixty-one subjects with rheumatoid arthritis, 61 with psoriatic arthritis, 61 with ankylosing spondylitis, and 61 healthy controls were examined with regard to subjective symptoms and clinical signs of craniomandibular disorders (CMD). The frequencies of most subjective and clinical variabies were higher in all three disease groups than in the control group. Subjects with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis showed more frequent and severe signs and symptoms than subjects with ankylosing spondylitis. It is concluded that subjective symptoms and clinical signs of CMD are common in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis and are mainly caused by the respective general joint disease. None of the signs and symptoms is pathognomonic for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis. □ Psoriatic arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; spondylitis, ankylosing; temporomandibular joint diseases
Acute calcific peri-arthritis of the hands: pseudogout presentation in five cases
Published in International Musculoskeletal Medicine, 2011
Background Acute peri-arthritis in the hands may simulate septic arthritis. Objectives Raising the awareness on this form of arthritis in emergency departments. Case report Five patients having acute arthritis in hand joints with negative blood test results and radiographs showing peri-articular calcification. Conclusion The series is a reminder to include acute calcific peri-arthritis in the differential diagnosis of acute arthritis of the hand joints.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Inflammation
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- Rheumatoid Arthritis