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Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Raad Makadsi. NICE guidelines on the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis Feb 2009. Key priorities for implementation Referral for specialist treatment. Investigations. Rheumatoid factor
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Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis RaadMakadsi
NICE guidelines on the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis Feb 2009 • Key priorities for implementation • Referral for specialist treatment
Investigations • Rheumatoid factor • Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies if: they are negative for rheumatoid factor, and • X-ray the hands and feet • Once the diagnosis is made • there is a need to inform decision-making about starting combination therapy
Communication and education • Explain the risks and benefits of Treatment • Offer verbal and written information • Education • Offer the opportunity to take part in existing educational activities, including self-management programmes
The multidisciplinary team • Specialist nurse - who is responsible for coordinating the care • Physiotherapy • Occupational therapy • Psychological interventions (for example, relaxation, stress management and cognitive coping skills]) • Podiatrist (Functional insoles and therapeutic footwear)
DMARDs • Offer a combination of DMARDs • Ideally within 3 months • Corticosteroids oral, intramuscular or intra-articular
DMARDs • When sustained and satisfactory levels of disease control have been achieved, cautiously try to reduce drug doses • If combination DMARD therapy is not appropriate, start DMARD mono-therapy • Patients in whom disease-modifying or biological drug doses are being decreased or stopped, arrangements should be in place for prompt review
Glucocorticoids • Short-term - recent-onset or established disease to rapidly decrease inflammation • Long - term - In established RA continue glucocorticoids when: - the long-term complications of glucocorticoid therapy have been fully discussed - all other treatment options (including biological drugs) have been offered
Biological drugs • Offer anti-TNF if patient failed two DMARDs including Methotrexate • Do not offer the combination of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitor therapy and anakinra for RA
Symptom control • Paracetamol, codeine or compound analgesics) • Oral NSAIDs/COX-2 inhibitors should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible period of time • If RA patient needs to take low-dose aspirin consider other analgesics before substituting or adding an NSAID or COX-2 inhibitor (with a PPI)
Monitoring rheumatoid arthritis • Measure CRP and DAS28 regularly • In early active RA, measure CRP and DAS28 monthly until treatment has controlled the disease to a level previously agreed with the person with RA
Monitoring rheumatoid arthritis • In satisfactorily controlled established RA Offer patients review appointments at a frequency and location suitable to their needs • Make sure they: - have access to additional visits for disease flares - know when and how to get rapid access to specialist care - Have an on going drug monitoring
RA annual review • Assess disease activity and damage • Functional ability (HAQ) • Comorbidities, such as hypertension, IHD, osteoporosis and depression • Look for complications, such as vasculitis and cervical spine, lung or eyes involvement
RA annual review • Organise appropriate cross referral within the multidisciplinary team • Need for referral for surgery • The effect the disease is having on a person's life
Vit D role • Calcium homeostasis • Bone metabolism • Regulates many other cellular functions including immunmodulations
SOURCES • Sunlight and ultraviolet light - photoisomerize provitamin D to vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) in the skin • Diet fortified milk, fatty fish, cod-liver oil, and, to a lesser extent, eggs
ABSORPTION AND METABOLISM • Dietary vitamin D micelles, -absorbed by enterocytes, -packaged into chylomicrons. • Chylomicrons - liver - Vit D hydroxylation to form 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) • Kidney- hydroxylation to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25OHD) • 1,25OHD active form of vitamin D
ABSORPTION AND METABOLISM • More than 25 metabolites identified, each with different biologic activities • The synthesis of vitamin D is closely coupled to calcium homeostasis, and is modulated by parathyroid hormone, serum calcium, and phosphorus levels
DEFICIENCY AND RESISTANCE caused by one of four mechanisms : • Inadequate dietary vitamin D, fat malabsorptive disorders, and/or lack of photoisomerization • Impaired hydroxylation by the liver to produce 25-hydroxyvitamin D • Impaired hydroxylation by the kidneys to produce 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D • End organ insensitivity to vitamin D metabolites (hereditary vitamin D resistant rickets)
In early stage Vitamin D deficiency, hypophosphatemia is more marked than hypocalcemia • Persistent deficiency, hypocalcemia occurs and causes secondary hyperparathyroidism, • This leads to phosphaturia, demineralization of bones • More prolonged, lead to osteomalacia in adults and rickets in children. • Glucocorticoids inhibit intestinal vitamin D-dependent calcium absorption and therefore can cause osteomalacia • Vitamin D stores decline with age, especially in the winter • Vit D and calcium supplementation can reduce the risk of falls and fractures in the elderly
The Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin D is 600 International Units for adults Age 70 years and for children 1 to 18 years of age • For adults 71 years and older, 800 units (20 micrograms) daily is recommended
Excessive doses of vit D in adults can result in intoxication • Symptoms of acute intoxication are due to hypercalcemia and include confusion, polyuria, polydipsia, anorexia, vomiting, and muscle weakness • Long-term intoxication can cause bone demineralization and pain. In children, the hypercalcemia can cause brain injury
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS • Osteomalacia may be asymptomatic and present radiologically as osteopenia. • Diffuse bone pain • polyarthralgias, • muscle weakness, and difficulty walking - Waddling gate • Fracture • Muscle spasms, cramps
Investigations • Alkaline phosphatase elevated • Serum calcium and phosphorus reduced • 25-hydroxyvitamin D (calcidiol) <15 ng/mL • PTH elevated
Radiographic findings • Changes in vertebral bodies — • softening leads to a concavity of the vertebral bodies called codfish vertebrae. The vertebral disks appear large and biconvex. • There may be spinal compression fractures, but these are more common in osteoporosis. • Looser zones — Looser pseudofractures, • Stress fractures
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is available in 400, 800, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, and 50,000 unit capsules IM injection can be extremely painful • Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is available for oral use in 400 and 50,000 unit capsules A previously available IM preparation is now difficult to obtain