Rheumatological emergencies

This chapter details rheumatological emergencies, including acute monoarthritis, septic arthritis, crystal arthropathy, polyarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative arthritides (spondyloarthropathies), reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, enteropathic arthritis, infections, vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Wegener’s granulomatosus and microscopic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN), cryoglobulinaemia, giant cell (temporal) arteritis, polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), back pain, prolapsed intervertebral disc, and C1-esterase inhibitor deficiency (angioneurotic oedema).

Vasculitis

Causes of vasculitis Diagnostic tests Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP) IgA nephropathy (Berger’s disease) Buerger’s disease (thromboangiitis obliterans) Hypersensitivity (‘allergic’) vasculitis Microscopic polyarteritis (MPA) Primary angiitis of the CNS (PACNS) Behçet’s disease Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) Churg–Strauss syndrome (CSS) Cogan’s syndrome Kawasaki syndrome (mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome) Wegener’s granulomatosis 1...