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Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
About me
Graduated from Anhui Medical University in 2005, working in the Department of General Medicine at the Second People's Hospital of Anhui Province, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of common and prevalent internal medicine diseases.
Proficient in diseases
Conventional diagnosis and treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and gouty arthritis, as well as regular diagnosis and treatment of prolonged unexplained fever.
Voices
Recurrent symptoms of allergic purpura
The clinical manifestations of recurrent allergic purpura primarily include purpuric rashes on the lower limbs. If the patient experiences joint pain, it is also a clinical symptom of recurrent allergic purpura. Some severe cases of allergic purpura may even present with abdominal pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Additionally, some patients may exhibit significant amounts of protein in the urine and impaired creatinine levels. This indicates allergic purpura with purpuric nephritis, which is considered severe in the context of allergic purpura. Therefore, if a patient presents with the aforementioned symptoms, the recurrence of allergic purpura should be considered. At this point, further examinations such as blood tests, urine tests, and kidney function tests can be conducted to assess the condition.
Is the hair loss due to connective tissue disease?
Patients with connective tissue disease may experience hair loss, especially in diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, where some patients may suffer from severe hair loss. Hair loss is also one of the symptoms of active connective tissue disease. Apart from hair loss, patients with connective tissue disease may also experience fever, oral ulcers, facial erythema, dry mouth, and dry eyes. Some patients may also exhibit clinical signs such as white or purple hands when exposed to cold. The fundamental treatment for connective tissue disease involves corticosteroids, and depending on the severity of the disease, treatment may also include immunosuppressants. (Medication should be administered under the guidance of a professional doctor.)
Will rheumatoid arthritis RF be high?
Patients with rheumatic arthritis generally do not have elevated rheumatoid factor levels, but there may also be a slight, minor increase. Typically, high titers of positive rheumatoid factors are not present. If a patient with rheumatic arthritis has a significant increase in rheumatoid factor, that is, more than three times the normal value, we need to reconsider the diagnosis of rheumatic arthritis. At this point, further tests are required to refine the diagnosis, including ASO (anti-streptolysin O), ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), CRP (C-reactive protein), anti-CCP antibody, and anti-AK antibody, to better determine whether the condition is rheumatic arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
How to relieve ankylosing spondylitis
Methods to alleviate ankylosing spondylitis are as follows: First, in terms of lifestyle: during the remission phase of ankylosing spondylitis, it is necessary to persist in long-term functional exercises to keep the spine from adhering and becoming rigid. The second and most important aspect is the long-term use of medication. The medications used to treat ankylosing spondylitis mainly include the following categories: The first category is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, commonly used ones include diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets, celecoxib capsules, etc.; the second category includes disease-controlling medications such as sulfasalazine, thalidomide, methotrexate, and even leflunomide. Currently, the most effective medications for treating ankylosing spondylitis are biologics. However, before using biologics, it is essential to strictly rule out diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, and tumors. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor based on specific conditions.)
What medicine is used for ankylosing spondylitis?
The medication for ankylosing spondylitis mainly involves three aspects. The first is non-steroidal pain-relief medications, commonly including drugs like sustained-release diclofenac sodium tablets. The second involves drugs that control the condition, commonly using medications like sulfasalazine and thalidomide. The third, which is currently the most effective, involves treatment with biologics. Common biologics include tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. However, before using biologics, it is crucial to rigorously rule out complications such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, and tumors. Only after excluding these conditions should one consider using biologics. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis should also pay attention to appropriate functional exercises in daily life to prevent the stiffening of spinal joints. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor, based on the specific situation.)
How is ankylosing spondylitis treated?
The treatment of ankylosing spondylitis mainly consists of three types: The first is anti-inflammatory pain relief, primarily using non-steroidal pain relief medications, such as sustained-release diclofenac sodium tablets. The second is the selection of disease control medications, mainly involving drugs like sulfasalazine tablets. For ankylosing spondylitis, the most effective and economically expensive treatment is biological agents therapy. We commonly use drugs such as tumor necrosis factor antagonists. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis during acute pain periods are advised not to engage in intense exercise. However, during remission periods, appropriate functional exercises are recommended to prevent the adhesion and stiffness of spinal joints.
What to do if systemic lupus erythematosus causes a fever?
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who develop a fever first need to discern whether the fever is due to immune-related fever caused by the activity of the disease or an infectious fever due to weakened immunity from long-term use of steroids and immunosuppressants. If the fever is caused by lupus activity, then it is necessary to increase the dosage of corticosteroids in treatment. If the fever is due to an infection, a full course of anti-infection treatment is needed. The anti-infection regimen may even need to include treatments with antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral medications. (Please follow professional medical advice for medication use, and do not self-medicate.)
How is rheumatoid arthritis treated?
The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis mainly falls into three categories: The first category includes anti-inflammatory and pain-relief medications, which are further divided into non-steroidal pain-relief drugs and low-dose corticosteroids. For rheumatoid arthritis, the most crucial treatment involves the choice of the second category: slow-acting drugs. Common drugs used in treating the key aspects of rheumatoid arthritis include immunosuppressants such as methotrexate and leflunomide. If the patient does not respond well to the above two conventional treatments, a third option that can be considered is treatment with biological agents. Commonly used biological agents include tumor necrosis factor antagonists. Before using biological agents, it is necessary to strictly rule out hepatitis, tuberculosis, and neoplastic diseases. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor)
What should be paid attention to in the diet for rheumatic fever?
For patients with rheumatism, the general dietary rule is to follow a light diet, reduce spicy and greasy foods, and avoid foods that are too warm and dry. Specifically, vegetables like celery, coriander, leeks, seaweed, and shiitake mushrooms should be reduced in consumption because they may cause photosensitivity and worsen rheumatism. At the same time, meats such as lamb, dog meat, and beef are considered too warming and nourishing, and may also trigger the worsening of rheumatism, so their consumption should also be minimized. Similarly, seafood like shrimp, crab, and sea cucumber, which are high in protein, might cause allergic reactions in patients with rheumatism, so their intake should be minimized as well.
Symptoms of allergic purpura
Allergic purpura, which we generally divide into four types. The first type is the mildest, often primarily characterized by purpuric rash-like skin manifestations. The second type we call allergic purpura arthritis type, where patients, in addition to the typical rash, also experience joint pain symptoms. The third type we refer to as the renal type of allergic purpura, where patients often present primarily with hematuria and proteinuria, and urine tests typically indicate positive urinary protein. The fourth type we call the abdominal type of allergic purpura, where patients suffer from nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea as their main clinical manifestations.