Rheumatology
AKT High-Yield Breakdown
Rheumatology in the AKT tests your ability to distinguish inflammatory from mechanical patterns, recognise emergencies (septic arthritis, GCA), and apply NICE guidance for common conditions like gout, RA, and OA.
What You'll Learn
Master the hot swollen joint algorithm, gout flare management, RA early referral rules, OA stepwise treatment, PMR diagnosis by response, GCA emergency management, and back pain red flags.
Practise Rheumatology MCQs
From RA treat-to-target strategies and DMARD monitoring to ankylosing spondylitis features, SLE diagnostic criteria, vasculitis types, and the distinction between inflammatory and mechanical joint disease — tackle focused MCQs across the full Rheumatology curriculum.
Acute Hot Swollen Joint (The "Never Miss" Station)
AKT stems love "one joint, sudden onset, painful, swollen".
First question: could this be septic arthritis?
Treat as septic arthritis until proven otherwise if:
- Fever/systemically unwell
- Severe pain with inability to weight-bear
- Immunosuppression, prosthetic joint
- Rapidly progressive swelling/erythema
Action: same-day admission for aspiration + IV antibiotics (don't wait in primary care).
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