Monoarthritis 1285478 223841643 2008-07-06T02:39:22Z Arcadian 104523 infobox/nav {{Infobox_Disease | Name = {{PAGENAME}} | Image = | Caption = | DiseasesDB = | ICD10 = {{ICD10|M|13|1|m|05}} | ICD9 = {{ICD9|716.60}} | ICDO = | OMIM = | MedlinePlus = | eMedicineSubj = | eMedicineTopic = | MeshID = | }} '''Monoarthritis''' is [[inflammation]] (''[[arthritis]]'') of one [[joint]] at a time. It is usually caused by trauma, infection, or crystalline arthritis. ==Diagnosis== When faced with monoarthritis, one of the main decisions to make is whether to perform a ''joint aspirate'' by inserting a needle into the affected joint and removing some fluid for [[light microscopy|microscopic]] analysis. This decision is largely taken on [[inflammation|inflammatory]] markers in [[blood test]]s (e.g. [[C-reactive protein|CRP]]), [[fever]] and the clinical picture. The main use of aspiration is to detect [[bacterium|bacteria]] and [[neutrophil granulocytes]] (in septic arthritis) and crystals (crystal arthropathies). ==Causes== ===Septic arthritis=== [[Septic arthritis]] is due to a bacterial infection to the joint. It requires urgent joint washout in the [[operating room]] followed by [[intravenous]] [[antibiotic]] therapy for large joints. Small joints or children can be treated with repeated aspirations and [[intravenous]] [[antibiotics]]. ===Gout=== In ''[[gout]]'', the acute inflammatory arthritis is caused by excess [[uric acid]] caused by either overproduction or under-excretion. Before the age of [[menopause]], women have a lower [[incidence (epidemiology)|incidence]] than [[male]]s, but the rates are equal above this age. Gout can cause mono- or polyarthritis, but usually results in monoarthritis first. ===Pseudogout=== When monoarthritis is caused by ''[[pseudogout]]'' (calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease, CPPD), the inflammation usually lasts days to weeks, and involves the [[knee]]s in half of all attacks. Like gout, attacks can occur spontaneously or with [[physical trauma]] or metabolic stress. Patients may feel well in between pseudogout attacks, and 5% present with pseudo-rheumatoid symptoms. ===Osteoarthritis=== [[Osteoarthritis]] is a degenerative disease commonly involving the knees and hips. It results from erosion of the [[cartillage]] protecting the bones from rubbing together. ==See also== * [[Gout]] * [[Pseudogout]] * [[Septic arthritis]] * [[Osteoarthritis]] [[Category:Rheumatology]] [[Category:Symptoms]] {{med-sign-stub}} {{Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue}}