This thoroughly updated second edition of Fast Facts: Rheumatoid Arthritis provides an easy-to-read overview of how the condition is thought to develop and how it is diagnosed, monitored and treated. Written by two leading UK and US rheumatologists, it covers the many recent developments in this field, including: - Recently published classification criteria - The emerging role of anti-CCP autoantibodies - The latest developments in ultrasound and MRI - The association between RA and cardiovas...

To ensure the best possible clinical outcomes for arthritis patients, it is essential that they be seen early and treated appropriately at the earliest opportunity. Early therapy has proven much more effective than that given late. This issue of Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America brings the rheumatologist up to date on the latest treatments and interventions in evolving arthritis and established early arthritis. Topics covered include early rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis...

The field of liver tumors in children has seen tremendous therapeutic advances over recent years. This has been achieved through a much better understanding of the biology of disease, improved diagnostic procedures, refined methods of pretreatment tumor staging, the implementation of highly efficient chemotherapy and surgery, detailed monitoring of toxicity, and careful follow-up strategies. International controlled trials have played a key role in these advances, and many leading figures ...

Over the past 30 years, there has been increasing recognition of psoriatic arthritis as a distinct clinical entity. Psoriatic arthritis occurs mostly in patients with psoriasis and may affect up to 1% of the general population. It has many similarities to other forms of spondyloarthritis, and must be differentiated from related conditions. Given that most patients with psoriatic arthritis have skin and musculoskeletal diseases that significantly affect their quality of life and function, p...

This book presents an up-to-date and thorough overview of cancer of unknown primary, encompassing topics ranging from epidemiology, tumor biology, and prognostic factors through to the most recent diagnostic and therapeutic advances. All aspects of management are covered, including radiological, nuclear medicine, and pathological diagnosis, site-specific therapies, platinum-based combination chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and novel targeted treatments. Clear guidance is offered on diagnosis o...

Edited by Drs. Jack Cush and Kathryn Dao, this issue of Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America addresses one of the most significant issues facing the rheumatologist today––drug safety in a changing world where rheumatoid arthritis (RA) severity is less, patients are being identified and treated at a very early stage, and prevention is on the horizon. Topics covered include: communicating the risk of side effects, urate-lowering therapies, biphosphonates, biologics, malignancy risks, a...

The second edition of this text presents an overview of the most recent developments in this area including clinical presentation, etiology, pathogenesis, and differential diagnosis. The rationale for various therapies, including transplantation, is discussed and tissue diagnosis (its pitfalls and strategies for avoiding them) and laboratory support are included. The involvement of all major organ systems including renal/genitourinary, cardiac, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, peripheral nerve...

Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Skeletal Regeneration covers our current understanding of the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and other mesenchymal progenitors in skeletal regeneration, encompassing bone, cartilage and whole joint regeneration. The expansion reflects developments in the field to include data on the use of MSCs in drug development, growth factors, scaffolds and biomechanical manipulations for skeletal trauma and diseases, including osteoporosis and arthritis. Written for a...

This two-and-a-half-day symposium has concentrated on main aspects of the rapidly expanding field ofleukocyte markers in hematology. While leukemias are already being 'phenotyped' routinely in clinical centers, continued research on the developmental sta ge of cells and cell membranes, expanding into a malignant clone, permits new snap shots on hemopoietic differentiation. Thus the discovery of leukemia-associated anti gens, which so far have not been found on subpopulations of normal cell...