KraYS Med Tips
For medical & nursing students, health care personnels and those who are interested to know about their body. :)
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Rhaumatoid Arthritis
- Chronic systemic inflammatory disorder involving the joints
- Peripheral symmetrical non-suppurative arthritis
- Unknown cause (autoimmune)
- Onset : 30-50 years old
- F:M = 3:1
- Mnemonic for diagnosing RA: RF RISES
Ø Rheumatoid factor
Ø Finger / hand joints involved (>6weeks)
Ø Rheumatoid nodules
Ø Involvement of 3 or more joint areas
Ø Stiffness (morning) > 1 hour > 6 weeks
Ø Erosions on X-ray
Ø Symmetrical arthritis > 6weeks
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- av Criteria a–d must be present for at least 6 weeks. Criteria b–e must be observed by a physician.
Parkinsonism
- A clinical syndrome characterized by (cardinal signs)
o Tremors (rest tremors)
o Rigidity (cogwheel)
o Bradykinesia (slowness in execution of motion / slow movement)
- Types of parkinsonism
o Primary parkinsonism = Parkinson’s disease (PD)
o Secondary parkinsonism – neuroleptics/antipsychotics (especially typical antipsychotics e.g. haloperidol), Wilson’s disease, stroke.
o Parkinsonism plus syndrome (PPS) – Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Multiple System Atrophy (MSA).
[NB: since secondary parkinsonism is treatable thus it is important to recognized and accurately diagnose this.]
- Clinical diagnosis of PD:
o Asymmetrical signs of parkinsonism
o No clinical evidence of PPS & secondary parkinsonism
o Marked response to dopaminergic drugs
o Postural instability is the 4th cardinal sign, but it emerges late in the disease, usually after 8 years or more.
Proposed stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) based on extrapolations from pathologic, clinical and brain imaging studies. Broken black lines indicate that, by itself, Lewy (-synuclein) protofibril or fiber pathology is not sufficient to make the pathologic diagnosis of PD. Broken blue lines represent non-motor signs that usually precede clinical recognition of PD, including impaired olfaction, sleep and mood disturbances, and constipation. Broken yellow lines indicate that fluctuations may be less apparent in the late stages of PD. (Taken from Harrison's online)
- Treatment of PD:
o Early stage : dopaminergic drugs (i.e. dopamine agonist e.g. Mirapex / pramipexol & Requip / ropinirole)
o Late stage : brain surgery (Deep Brain Stimulation / DBS, pallidotomy & thalamotomy)
- Differences between PD & PPS
| Parkinson’s disease (PD) | Parkinsonism plus syndrome (PPS) |
1 | Response to dopaminergic drugs & brain surgery are good. | Poor response |
2 | Better long term prognosis (less aggressive course) | Poorer long term prognosis (more aggressive course) |
Speech disorder
Dysphasia / aphasia
Ø Impairment of the production and/or the comprehension of spoken or written words.
Ø Content of speech is abnormal. (language dysfunction)
Ø Assessment: mnemonic - CNS-RW
1. Comprehension
· 3 step instructions:
i. close your eyes/闭上您的眼睛(chinese simplified)/ अपनी आँखें बंद करो (Hindi)/ tutp mata (Malay)
ii. lift up your left hand /提起您的左手(chinese simplified)/ अपने बाएँ हाथ उठा (Hindi) / angkat tangan kiri (Malay)
iii. touch your left ear /接触您的左耳朵(chinese simplified)/ अपनी बाईं कान स्पर्श (Hindi)/ sentuh telinga kiri (Malay)
2. Naming objects
· Pen, key, book, card
3. Spontaneous speech
· Ask about his day, family, visitors, occupation
4. Repetition of sentence
· I want to go to the toilet /我想要去洗手间 (chinese simplified)/ मैं शौचालय जाना चाहती हूँ (Hindi)/saya nak pergi ke tandas (Malay)
5. Writing
· Write a given sentence e.g. regarding residence – I live in an apartment at Damansara Utama./ 我在公寓居住在damansara utama(chinese simplified)/ मैं एक अपार्टमेंट में damansara utama में रहते हैं (Hindi)/Saya tinggal di Damansara Utara dalam sebuah rumah bertingkat.(Malay)
· Write out a given instruction – “lift up your left hand” /提起您的左手(chinese simplified)/ अपने बाएँ हाथ उठा (Hindi) / angkat tangan kiri (Malay)
Ø Types of dysphasia :
Clinical features | Expressive (Broca’s) dysphasia | Receptive (Wernicke’s) dysphasia | Conductive dysphasia | Nominal dysphasia |
Comprehension | Normal | Normal | Normal | |
Naming objects | Impaired | Impaired | Impaired | Impaired |
Speech | Telegraphic (staccato speech) | Paraphasia Neologism | Lack nouns | |
Repetition | Impaired | Impaired | Impaired | Normal |
Writing | Impaired | Impaired | Impaired | Pauses (lack nouns) |
Spontaneous | Non-fluent (mute if severe) | Fluent | Fluent | Pauses |
Site of lesion | Left inferior frontal gyrus | Left superior temporal gyrus | Left arcuate fasciculus | Left temporal lobe |
Dysarthria
Ø Imperfection in articulation of speech.
Ø Content is normal.
Ø Subtypes:
o ”Hot potato” speech = Pseudobulbar dysarthria
o Nasal speech = Bulbar dysarthria
o Scanning / staccato speech(syllable by syllable) = Cerebellar dysarthria
o Monotonous, soft speech = Parkinsonian dysarthria
Dysphonia
Ø Impairment in production of voice (soft / hoarse voice)
Ø Content of speech is normal.
Ø E.g. vocal cord palsy