SAQ 91 – Infectious Disease – acute atraumatic polyarthritis

Review Completed

Marked out of 12.00

A 29-year-old man presents with fever and acute ankle and wrist pain without trauma.

An ankle joint aspirate result is shown below.

List four likely differential diagnoses for these joint fluid results.

(Marked out of 4.0)

/ 4

List four further ED investigations and provide one justification for each.

(Marked out of 8.0)

/ 8

Total Score: 0 / 12

Percentage: 0%

Investigation	Justification
Joint fluid culture	Identifies organism and guides antibiotic choice and duration.
STI testing: urethral swab and/or urine PCR	Detects gonorrhoea or other STI causes.
Ankle and wrist X-rays	Looks for occult fracture, degenerative disease, or other joint pathology.
FBE and CRP	Supports infection/inflammation and provides baseline severity markers.
Blood cultures	Indicated when febrile; may identify organism and guide treatment.
Blood glucose	Undiagnosed diabetes may impair recovery and alters management.