In Practice
Reports on the Rheumatic Diseases Series 4
These reports are intended to provide succinct and practical advice for general practitioners and hospital doctors about the diagnosis and management of common rheumatic conditions.
WARNING: THESE PUBLICATIONS ARE INTENDED FOR MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. SOME OF THEIR CONTENTS MAY BE DISTURBING TO READERS WITH ARTHRITIS OR THEIR CARERS.
Please note: These publications are only available as Adobe® PDF files. You will need Adobe® Reader to view them.
Preventing and Managing Chronic Disability in the Rheumatic Diseases
May 2003 No 11 (reviewed August 2005)
Disability means loss of function, reduction in the ability to perform activities that are important to the individual. It is a very individual thing and depends on that person's hopes and aspirations and their previous experiences and knowledge.
A General Practice Approach to Management of Chronic Widespread Musculoskeletal Pain and Fibromyalgia
January 2003 No 10 (reviewed June 2005)
General practitioners (GPs) frequently see patients with musculoskeletal pain. Acute and localised pain can often be related to a specific cause, but this is rarely the case when pain is more long-standing and widespread.
Chronic Pain: A Primary Care Condition
September 2002 No 9 (reviewed June 2005)
Chronic pain presents a major challenge to primary care. It is a symptom associated with many of the common primary care conditions, but it may also be regarded as a distinct entity.
Prescribing and Monitoring of Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) for Inflammatory Arthritis
May 2002 No 8 (reviewed September 2005)
In inflammatory, and especially rheumatoid, arthritis, the cytokines, proteases and collagenases released from cells in the inflamed synovium can be locally invasive, causing bony destruction at the bone–synovium junction (i.e. erosion formation) and destruction of the articular cartilage within the joint (causing loss of joint space).
What Should be Done for the Patient with Neck Pain (X-Rays Show Cervical Spondylosis)?
January 2002 No 7
The term cervical spondylosis on an x-ray report refers to the radiographic changes associated with the degenerative process affecting the discs and the facet joints of the cervical spine.
The Therapeutic Scope of Modern Podiatry
September 2001 No 6 (reviewed August 2005)
'Chiropodist' and 'podiatrist' are interchangeable terms, 'podiatrist' now being preferred by the profession. Podiatrists' responsibilities are to assess and treat painful and disabling foot conditions. NHS podiatrists are state registered, having undergone a 3-year university-based training programme.
Corticosteroid-Induced Osteoporosis: Prevention and Treatment
May 2001 No 5 (reviewed August 2005)
Corticosteroids are widely used in primary care. The main conditions requiring them include rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, inflammatory bowel disease and asthma/chronic obstructive airways disease, and around 0.5% of the UK adult population currently take oral corticosteroids.
Osteoarthritis of the Knee and Hip
January 2001 No 4 (reviewed August 2005)
Osteoarthritis (OA) is by far the most common joint disorder. It strongly associates with ageing and is a major cause of pain and disability in the elderly.
Connective Tissue Diseases and the Role of the General Practitioner
September 2000 No 3 (reviewed June 2005)
Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) are a group of closely related multisystem conditions, with many overlapping clinical features. While uncommon, they cannot be considered rare.
Shoulder Problems in General Practice
May 2000 No 2 (reviewed July 2003)
The principal function of the shoulders is to position the hands such that they operate optimally. The shoulder mobility thus necessary has evolved at the expense of stability, and the resulting 'freedom of movement' of the joint predisposes it to a variety of conditions.
The Relevance of COX-2 Specificity
September 2000 No 1 (reviewed July 2005)
Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used for over a century to treat musculoskeletal pain and stiffness, but their use is limited by toxicity to the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT).
Click here for Reports on the Rheumatic Diseases Series 6 : Hands On
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