Musculoskeletal Key

The basics Scleroderma is a heterogeneous condition characterised by progressive fibrosis, widespread vascular disease and immunological abnormalities. It is divided into limited cutaneous disease (formerly known as CREST syndrome) and…

Introduction The vasculitides are a heterogenous group of disorders caused by vascular inflammation. As the vessel wall dies, ischaemia and infarction occur distal to the area of necrosis. The easiest…

Introduction The World Health Organisation has defined osteoporosis as a ‘systemic skeletal disease characterised by low bone mass and microar-chitectural deterioration of bone tissue with a consequent increase in bone…

Bone remodelling Bone is generated and remodelled throughout life in cycles of tightly coupled osteoclastic and osteoblastic acivity. The osteoclast is a giant multinucleated cell derived from the monocyte/macrophage population…

Introduction Fibromyalgia is a non-inflammatory, non-autoimmune diffuse pain syndrome characterised by combinations of hyperalgesia, disordered non-restorative sleep and low mood. It can occur on its own (primary) or in association…

Introduction An acutely painful, swollen or hot joint is septic arthritis until proven otherwise. Joint infection is a medical emergency and is covered in detail in Chapter 28 , Infection…

Septic arthritis Septic arthritis is a rheumatological emergency. It is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality (up to 15%), so a high index of suspicion should always be maintained. Clinical…

Introduction Ankylosing spondylitis is the commonest spondyloathropathy and is covered in detail in Chapter 25. Psoriatic, reactive and enteropathic arthritis are also referred to as spondyloarthropathies if they involve inflammatory…

Spondyloarthropathies is a collective term for a group of inflammatory joint diseases that may involve the spine. The classic spondyloarthropathy is ankylosing spondylitis in which pelvic and axial disease is…