Shayan Senthelal; Jinpu Li; Shirin Ardeshirzadeh; Mark A. Thomas.Author Information and Affiliation
Continuing Education Activity
Arthritis is defined as an acute or chronic joint inflammation in the joint. Arthritis may attribute to a wide variety of symptoms that include pain, stiffness, decreased range of motion, and joint deformities. There are several different types of arthritis, with management being different for each. History and physical examination are crucial in recognizing the type of arthritis, while additional laboratory and imaging may sometimes be necessary for confirming the diagnosis. This activity outlines the evaluation and treatment of arthritis and explains the role of the interprofessional team in managing patients with this condition.
Objectives:
- Review the epidemiology of arthritis.
- Describe the patient history associated with arthritis.
- Outline the imaging studies used in the evaluation of arthritis.
- Explain the importance of collaboration and communication among the interprofessional team to enhance the delivery of care to improve outcomes for patients affected by arthritis.
Access free multiple choice questions on this topic.
Introduction
Arthritis is derived from the Greek term “disease of the joints.” It is defined as an acute or chronic joint inflammation that often co-exists with pain and structural damage. [1] Arthritis is not synonymous with arthralgia, which refers to pain localized to a joint, regardless of the origin of the pain (which may or may not be due to joint inflammation). Arthritis affected both the Neanderthals and ancient Egyptians, but It was not until 1886 that Dr. John K. Spencer coined the term “osteoarthritis.” More than 100 different types of arthritis have been described, the most common being osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis which is non-inflammatory arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis can occur in several settings, and inflammation can be caused by autoimmune processes (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, etc.), crystal deposition induced inflammation (gout, pseudogout, basic calcium phosphate disease) or infections (septic arthritis, Lyme’s arthritis). Inflammatory arthritis can also accompany other autoimmune connective tissue diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren syndrome, scleroderma, myositis, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, etc.
The goal of this activity is to provide a general overview of the most common arthritides and briefly touch on key aspects of the different major disease types.