Rheumatoid Arthritis

Atlas of Rheumatoid Arthritis is a high-quality educational initiative, written by leaders in the field of rheumatology, containing a collection of approximately 150 relevant images, with extended descriptive captions and a comprehensive bibliography. The Atlas of Rheumatoid Arthritis will provide clinicians with a visual guide to rheumatoid arthritis, focusing on assessment, diagnosis and treatment, including newer research into the signalling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of RA, before focusing on the treatment of RA. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common and most serious of the inflammatory arthritic disorders, and it dominates clinical rheumatological practice. Effective, early treatment is vital as this can slow the course of the disease and reduce joint damage. RA is usually treated using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), most commonly methotrexate. The newest treatments target the disease-causing immune elements specifically and directly.

Incurable, painful and chronic, rheumatoid arthritis is a crippling disease that affects the hands and feet as well as many joints, and may progressively lead to deformities and permanent disability. Written with a positive and uplifting outlook, Rheumatoid Arthritis: Plan to Win is a comprehensive, inspiring, and authoritative guide to living with this debilitating disease.

Provides an overview of rheumatoid arthritis, including its epidemiology, symptoms, signs, and pathophysiology, this concise guide serves as a practical, user-friendly reference for rheumatologists and other healthcare professionals.

This authoritative clinical reference provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of rheumatoid arthritis. The basics of rheumatoid arthritis are thoroughly covered in order to provide a firm foundation for the main focus of the text: therapy and clinical management of the disease. Practitioners will find detailed information on both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic courses of management, with special emphasis on the management of pain. More than 100 full-color illustrations provide clear visual support for the concepts in the text. Online references in each chapter, as well as an entire chapter on Web-based information resources, keep this book on the cutting edge of this rapidly evolving field.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a major cause of disability affecting about 1% of the population. Although much effort has been expended on research into the causes and cures of RA, little progress has been made. The focus of treatment in RA is on reducing the disabling consequences of the disease and controlling the symptoms. Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis examines the nature of RA and its symptoms of pain and stiffness. The role of health care professionals and the individual's encounters with the doctor are important to understand as these experiences influence the individual's behaviour and understanding of their RA. This book will be an invaluable aid to the considerable number of people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, their families, carers and all health professionals involved in its treatment.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Proteus explores the idea that Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by a urinary tract infection as a result of Proteus bacteria. Rheumatoid arthritis is a severe, painful and crippling disease affecting millions of people throughout the world, especially women. Genetic studies over the last 30 years have shown that individuals who possess the white cell blood groups HLA-DR1/4 carry a susceptibility sequence and are more likely to develop the disease. This book uses the methods of Sir Karl Popper, the philosopher of science, to present 12 “Popper sequences” which have been identified to indicate that Proteus is the causative agent of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis and Proteus proposes that Anti-Proteus therapies should be followed as early as possible to prevent the crippling and irreversible joint deformities that occur in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a bewilderingly complex disease involving the interactions of many, and varied, cell populations and multiple families of low and high molecular mass mediators. We are only slowly beginning to understand the mechanisms that produce the local and systematic pathology clinically recognized as rheumatoid arthritis. Increasingly, use is being made of experimental models of this disease in an effort to test hypotheses about putative pathological mechanisms and to investigate the effect of novel therapeutic agents. A major section of this book covers these experimental models in great detail from their development through to reviews of the most recent information on each model. Mechanisms and Models in Rheumatoid Arthritis brings together a group of eminent researchers from the fields of clinical rheumatology, pathology, experimental pathology, immunology, connective tissue biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology and developmental biology to describe the current views of the cellular and humoral mechanisms that drive the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis and experimental models of rheumatoid arthritis. Key Features: * The book is divided into five sections: * The clinical spectrum, aetiopathogenesis, the role of microbial superantigens in pathology and the present and future therapies for rheumatoid arthritis * The pathology of rheumatoid arthritis, the development and role of synovial pannus and the use of immunohistochemistry in defining synovial pathology * Cell populations involved in synovitis with chapters on synovial cells, chondrocytes, bone cells, leukocytes and leukocyte trafficking * Mediators, with coverage of: cytokines and cytokine inhibitors, growth factors, free radicals and inflammatory lipid mediators, neuropeptides and proteases * Current studies on experimental models of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a disease characterized by inflammation of the joints, is one of the most disabling forms of arthritis and affects over two million people in the United States. Without proper treatment it can lead to long-term joint damage, chronic pain, loss of function, and disability. From the first moment of her diagnosis, author M.E.A. McNeil took charge and educated herself on every aspect of her condition. Now, as a "patient-expert," she guides those newly diagnosed step-by-step through their first year with RA. McNeil provides crucial information about the nature of the disease, treatment options, diet, exercise, social concerns, emotional issues, networking with others, and much more. The First Year—Rheumatoid Arthritis is an essential resource for everyone who wants to be an informed, active participant in the management of their condition.

The Oxford Textbook of Rheumatoid Arthritis covers all relevant aspects of the fisease, ranging from basic science, epidemiology, clinical and laboratory assessments, drug and non-drug treatments, and disease outcomes. Written by an international team of experts, it will be an invaluable resource for those involved with people with RA.

"In The Rheumatoid Arthritis Cookbook, Caitlin skillfully guides you towards improved health with her all-encompassing program that includes valuable, researched information on RA, easy-to-follow meal plans, and delicious, wholesome recipes that will keep you nourished and satisfied." --Kate Hope, MS, CNS If you are one of the 1.3 million people in the US living with rheumatoid arthritis, you're all too familiar with joint pain, fatigue, and even depression. And if you've tried one-size-fits-all anti-inflammatory treatments, you may be disappointed in their side effects or the lack of relief they provide. Though her rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are now under control, author and nutrition expert Caitlin Samson once felt exactly this way. But after many years of frustration and pain, she finally received appropriate nutritional guidance and began managing her rheumatoid arthritis through an anti-inflammatory diet. The Rheumatoid Arthritis Cookbook is the first cookbook of its kind, offering recipes specifically geared towards those with rheumatoid arthritis. Revolutionary and comprehensive, The Rheumatoid Arthritis Cookbook offers: 100 easy recipes that offer big flavors with little prep work A 2-week meal plan to get started right away, with guidelines for modifying calories to lose or gain weight Up-to-date information outlining the foods that fight (or worsen) inflammation A guide to the medicine-diet relationship to better understand how nutrition can balance out the side effects of rheumatoid arthritis medications In this groundbreaking rheumatoid arthritis resource, Caitlin proves that finding relief from your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms through anti-inflammatory nutrition is possible--and shows exactly how you can do it, too.

This book presents concise, comprehensive summaries of topics necessary to understand rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management, aligned with patient needs, as a reference suitable for practitioners and students of all levels. Special attention is paid to the innovative RhMAT (Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication Assessment Tool), in addition to descriptions of the pharmacological management of RA, pharmacoeconomic and pharmacovigilance considerations, the benefits of seamless care, and case presentations.Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common forms of inflammatory arthritis in the world, with a prevalence of 0.5 to 1%. While no cure has yet been established, modern biotechnology has enabled highly effective management, if treatment begins early. However, cost and side effects, such as immune suppression, continue to present barriers, and monitoring of patients is pivotal to safe and effective disease management. Both hospital and community pharmacists are involved in RA patient management, and have responsibilities to this patient population. Identifying pharmaceutical care issues and ensuring that the patients are managed in accordance to best evidence-based medicine are paramount. Best care is delivered when pharmacists effectively communicate with each other, the prescribers and the multidisciplinary team members involved in the care of the patient. This book aims to tackle the various aspects of the management of RA patients across all the settings.

Written by a world-renowned expert in rheumatology this book serves as a refresher for GPs and hospital doctors containing practical diagnostic and treatment advice. Reviews clinical developments and guidelines, and places them into everyday clinical practice Stresses the importance of early and aggressive treatment Concise but comprehensive whilst being loaded with illustrations including imaging examples all presented in pocket sized format Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common and serious inflammatory arthritis, resulting in joint destruction, functional impairment and increased mortality. The outcome of the disease, however, has improved considerably in recent years with the availability of effective therapies and the recognition that early intensive treatment strategies result in better outcomes. This book has been designed to increase physician awareness of the importance of early and intensive treatment – a key pharmaceutical strategy in rheumatoid arthritis.

Many advances have occurred in the last 5 years especially in understanding genetic susceptibility factors, the role of immune response in chronic arthritis and the relationship between cellular processes that underlie inflammation and tissue damage. All these are dealt with in depth in the individual contributions. Genetics studies included illustrate how studies of HLA genes and genes controlling the autoantibody repertoire may be involved. Environmental factors are believed to be important and studies both in humans and in experimental models on the role of viral and bacterial agents are covered. The fascinating relationship between microbes, dysregulated immune responses and oncogenes are also examined. Since autoimmunity is the key aspect of the immunological response in rheumatoid arthritis, the role of antigens is re-examined as is the part played by immune T and B cells. New areas of clinical application of basic science is well presented in this book, forexample, in examining how markers of cartilage destruction may become important in monitoring disease activity. A chapter reviewing possible future novel therapies is included.

Designed to be a practical handbook on clinical trial management in these key therapeutic areas, 'Clinical Trials in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis' is aimed at principal investigators pharmaceutical physicians and other pharmaceutical staff involved in the design, conduct and monitoring of these increasingly complex diseases. In the last several years a new classes of biologic agents have emerged and changed the treatment paradigm for patients, not only with classically defined rheumatoid arthritis, but also with other related diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. Furthermore, osteoarthritis is a major disease state that is often treated by the rheumatologist, but is one where patient management programs are currently limited with a need for new therapeutic approaches. In both inflammatory and non-inflammatory arthritic conditions, clinical trials have become both large and complex due to the nature of the diseases, with ever-challenging new surrogate end-points being employed. Topics covered in this title will therefore include study design, clinical endpoints, technical issues, data collection, use of centralized medical image reading facilities and biochemical marker laboratories, as well as data analysis and future therapies. This book takes the user through the process step-by-step from start to finish, also providing a background on the regulatory guidelines, ethical implications, endpoints, and current therapies.

100 years ago, we don’t understand electricity, so we think of the electric eel as an amazing fish. With understanding the electricity, we learn that the power of the eel is produced by muscle discharge. Similarly, if we don’t understand sound, we would not know the magic of bat flying; if we don’t understand magnetic field, we would not know the migration of whale and many other animal. Before the system theory came into being, our understanding of biology is still based on the basis of decomposition and reduction. If we’re stuck in reductionism, many complex autoimmune diseases, such as Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), will be difficult to understand. With the emergence of complex networks in 1989, understanding of biological networks has been enhanced. In this book we present the management strategy of RA from the perspective of complex network. RA is the most common chronic autoimmune joint disease. This book argues that the RA is firstly caused by chronic stress and stress factors include physical and psychological stress. Existing statistical techniques based on reductionism cannot discover many relevant disease risk factors and complex interaction relationship. The disease network model based on complex network is important for the analysis and treatment of RA disease.

Purchased as part of an Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant.

First Prize, Orthopaedics and Rheumatology, BMA Awards 2009 This state-of-the-art reference provides current insights into the etiology, diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis. Leading international authorities in RA examine all of the latest scientific and clinical developments in understanding and managing this challenging disease, including new concepts in pathogenesis, epidemiology, risk factors, imaging, clinical outcomes and treatment. It’s the guidance you need to offer optimal care to your patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Presents the work of leading international experts in rheumatoid arthritis for guidance you can trust. Provides the very latest understanding of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, including molecular pathways/mechanisms, and genetic and environmental factors that instigate and drive the disease. Includes comprehensive coverage of clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis including articular, peri-articular and extra-articular manifestations, comorbidities, and outcome measures—disease activity, joint assessment, imaging, and more—for expert diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. Examines evidence-based treatment options—including traditional and biologic DMARDs and combination therapies—as well as promising therapies on the horizon, placing up-to-date guidance on disease modifying or disease controlling agents at your fingertips.

Thoroughly revised and updated, the 7th Edition of Rheumatology remains a leading text in this fast-changing field, keeping you abreast of recent advances in medications, therapies, clinical trials, and much more. Dr. Mark Hochberg and his team of expert authors and editors cover everything you need to know -- from basic scientific principles to practical clinical management strategies, all in a user-friendly, accessible manner.

She provides new information on associated diseases such as osteoporosis, tips for finding safe and reliable information online, and information on how to get an accurate diagnosis.

This book presents case histories that are chosen for two purposes: to illustrate in a clinical context essential points about the mechanisms of immunity; and to describe and explain some of the immunological problems often seen in the clinic.