This book offers a range of perspectives on pathogenesis, clinical features and treatment of different rheumatic diseases, with a particular focus on some of the interesting aspects of Sjögren's syndrome. It contains detailed and thorough reviews by international experts, with a diverse range of academic backgrounds. It will also serve as a useful source of information for anyone with a passive interest in rheumatology, from the genetic and molecular level, through to the psychological impact of pain and disability.
Pathology and Pathobiology of Rheumatic Diseases glows with the uncommon precision of the pathologist, the clarity of the tea cher, and the unswerving commitment of the investigator. Fass bender has produced a major contribution to the literature of rheumatic diseases. The practical experience and wisdom brought together in this book, substantiated by excellent exam ples of histopathology, produce a landmark for all who have made the study of rheumatic diseases their profession. The enor mous achievements made in molecular biology, genetics, struc tural biochemistry, and clinical science have been assembled in this book to interact in a meaningful way with the anatomical histology of the rheumatic diseases. It is not easy for any single investigator to paint the picture of a disease process, from its clinical description to its mechanisms, and then to a defined hypothesis, and finally an understanding. Nonetheless, Fassbender has done this in a clear and convincing way that integrates our current knowledge of this group of dis eases. Scientific discovery in medicine moves from the bedside to the bench, back to the bedside, and then back to the bench, etc. It is this iterative process of new observation and new discovery that has given us the achievements in medicine over the past century.
Imaging in Rheumatology: A Clinical Approach is ideal for radiologists and rheumatologists—as well as orthopedic surgeons and others interested in applying imaging to rheumatologic diseases—and stresses conventional radiography as the most effective imaging assessment technique to help diagnose various diseases and conditions. Greenspan and Gershwin—a radiologist and rheumatologist, respectively—focus on practical, everyday use, so you can apply knowledge you learn in any clinical setting.
This Open Access book presents practical approaches to managing patients affected by various rheumatological diseases, allowing readers to gain a better understanding of the various clinical expressions and problems experienced by these patients. Discussing rheumatology from an organ systems perspective, it highlights the importance ofdetailed musculoskeletal examinations when treating patients affected by rheumatological diseases. The book first explores the latest diagnostic approaches and offers key tips for accurate musculoskeletal examinations before addressing the various treatment modalities, with a particular focus on the most common joints involved in rheumatoid arthritis: the wrists and the metacarpophalangeal joints (2nd and 3rd). Featuring easy-to-understand flow diagrams and explaining the common medical problems associated with rheumatic disease, such as shortness of breath and anemia, it is not only a valuable resource to rheumatologists, but will also appeal to medical students, junior residents, and primary healthcare physicians.
Rheumatoid Arthritis - Other Perspectives towards Better Practice sheds light on the disease process of rheumatoid arthritis as well as the disease’s related comorbidities. Chapters cover such topics as immune-pathogenic theories, classification criteria, available composite measures of disease assessment, and latest available therapeutic approaches.
Important strides have been made in understanding the pathophysiologic basis of many inflammatory conditions in recent years, but rheumatology remains a discipline in which diagnosis is rooted in the medical history skillfully extracted from the patient, the careful physical examination, and the discriminating use of laboratory tests and imaging. Moreover, selection of the most appropriate therapy for patients with rheumatic diseases also remains heavily reliant upon clinical experience. Medical disciplines such as rheumatology that depend significantly upon clinical wisdom are prone to the development of systems of ‘Pearls’ and ‘Myths,’ related to the diseases they call their own, a ‘Pearl’ being a nugget of truth about the diagnosis or treatment of a particular disease that has been gained by dint of clinical experience and a ‘Myth’ being a commonly held belief that influences the practice of many clinicians – but is false. This book will pool together the clinical wisdom of seasoned, expert rheumatologists who participate in the care of patients with autoimmune diseases, systemic inflammatory disorders, and all other rheumatic conditions.
'Imaging in Rheumatology' provides a unique, comprehensive review of the modalities of imaging now available to assist rheumatologists in diagnosing and managing virtually all rheumatic diseases. It is divided into three sections. The first describes in simple detail how the various modes of imaging work in practice. The second informs the reader about the use of imaging in the diagnosis of common problems. The final section provides a detailed assessment of the use of imaging in the management of the common rheumatic diseases. The clinical chapters are written by both rheumatologists and radiologists and this combined approach ensures a thorough preview of each topic explaining just what modern imaging can do to help the clinicians diagnose and manage the broad array of rheumatolgical diseases.
This issue covers the latest developments in the understanding of rheumatoid arthritis at the early stage. Treatments such as with newer biologic agents and conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are reviewed. Also included are articles on imaging modalities as a means of identifying those in the early stages and monitoring response to treatment.
Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to develop stem cell-based therapies for difficult to treat diseases. Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, also referred to as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), appear to hold great promise in regards to a regenerative cell-based therapy for the treatment of these diseases. Currently, more than 200 clinical trials are underway worldwide exploring the use of MSCs for the treatment of a wide range of disorders including bone, cartilage and tendon damage, myocardial infarction, graft-versus-host disease, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, critical limb ischemia and many others. MSCs were first identified by Friendenstein and colleagues as an adherent stromal cell population within the bone marrow with the ability to form clonogenic colonies in vitro. In regards to the basic biology associated with MSCs, there has been tremendous progress towards understanding this cell population’s phenotype and function from a range of tissue sources. Despite enormous progress and an overall increased understanding of MSCs at the molecular and cellular level, several critical questions remain to be answered in regards to the use of these cells in therapeutic applications. Clinically, both autologous and allogenic approaches for the transplantation of MSCs are being explored. Several of the processing steps needed for the clinical application of MSCs, including isolation from various tissues, scalable in vitro expansion, cell banking, dose preparation, quality control parameters, delivery methods and numerous others are being extensively studied. Despite a significant number of ongoing clinical trials, none of the current therapeutic approaches have, at this point, become a standard of care treatment. Although exceptionally promising, the clinical translation of MSC-based therapies is still a work in progress. The extensive number of ongoing clinical trials is expected to provide a clearer path forward for the realization and implementation of MSCs in regenerative medicine. Towards this end, reviews of current clinical trial results and discussions of relevant topics association with the clinical application of MSCs are compiled in this book from some of the leading researchers in this exciting and rapidly advancing field. Although not absolutely all-inclusive, we hope the chapters within this book can promote and enable a better understanding of the translation of MSCs from bench-to-bedside and inspire researchers to further explore this promising and quickly evolving field.
The Radiology Department is a pivotal part of any acute and/or comprehensive health care facility. The radiologist can no longer just “hide out” there. Matters of imaging are often public concerns, larger in scope than just the scheduling and managing of a series of image tests. Rather radiology is expensive, often intrusive and in some areas earnestly and endlessly controversial. A radiologist must be attuned to these often confounding contingencies. Two recent developments in the monitoring of education of radiologists can be impacted by the content of this book. For trainees in Radiology, and for that matter, for all trainees in every medical specialty in the U.S., a new accreditation system (NAS) has been put into place under the impetus and aegis of the ACGME, the Accreditation Committee for Graduate Medical Education, the body responsible for graduate medical evaluation and oversight in the U.S. Among its many innovations, the NAS curriculum is concerned with knowledge acquired about social and economic issues pertinent to each specialty. It is also focused on improving communication skills and about enhancing quality and safety. In the elaboration of “milestones” for residency education in these issues are codified into focused initiatives that must be addressed by each trainee as he or she advances in capability and seniority within the training interval.
