1. Is Osteoarthritis inflammatory and how many joints are involved?: - NOT inflam-
matory
- monoarticular (one joint involved -> usually DIP joints)
2. Is rheumatoid arthritis inflammatory and how many/which joints are usually
involved?: - inflammatory
- polyarticular (>5 joints)
- usually MCP joints, shoulders, fingers, hips, wrist, knees
3. Is SLE inflammatory and how many/which joints are involved?: - inflammatory
- polyarticular (>5 joints)
- MCP joints and other joints
4. Is gout inflammatory and how many/which joints are involved?: - inflammatory
- MONOarticular
- First metatarsophalangeal joint
5. Which rheumatological conditions are oligoarticular (2-4 joints)?: - reactive arthritis
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, - psoriatic arthritis
- IBD
6. What appears with gross examination of joint fluid depending on the condi-
tion?: 1. Gross examination
- typically transparent
- mild inflammation is translucent
- purulent effusions are opaque
- blood is also possible if resulting from a traumatic injury
7. What appears on a cell count of joint fluid depending on the condition?: 2. Cell
count
- normal synovial fluid is <200 WBC/mcL
- noninflammatory is <2000 WBC/mcL
- inflammatory is 2,000-75,000 WBC/mcL
- purulent is >100,000 WBC/mcL
8. Are synovial glucose and protein levels of joint fluid helpful in determining
the diagnosis?: NO, and they should not be ordered
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