Polymyalgia Rheumatica And Giant Cell Arteritis

In the present monograph, we offer current insights into polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arthritis. Both diseases are typical for advanced age, and their incidences increase with aging. Both diseases are a center point of interest not only for rheu- tologists, gerontologists, ophthalmologists or neurologists, but also for general prac- tioners. Early diagnosis and rapid treatment, mainly with glucocorticoids can save one of the most precious senses-vision. Damage to other organs (heart, aorta, co- nary arteries, liver, lungs, kidneys), which are supplied by the arteries affected by ischemic syndrome in the setting of giant cell arthritis, has serious consequences as well. Late diagnosis of giant cell arthritis can have fatal consequences for affected patients. It is a matter of fact that the human population is aging. Therefore, more attention has to be paid not only to diagnosis, clinical course and treatment of rheumatic d- eases in elderly, but also to their genetic, immunologic, endocrinologic, chronobiologic mechanisms, and state-of-the-art diagnostic modalities. I am convinced that the int- disciplinary research of the diseases will allow us to diagnose and treat the rheumatic diseases even faster and more effectively in the future.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) and Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) are linked rheumatic inflammatory illnesses that affect older people - generally, people over 50. They are chronic autoimmune conditions that cause untold misery, pain and debilitation. More acutely, undiagnosed GCA can lead to blindness, which is irreversible. In the United Kingdom each year, there are an estimated 40,000 new cases of PMR and 10,000 new cases of GCA, with a significant degree of overlap, many people having both conditions together. Many people, when they first get their diagnosis, have never heard of PMR or GCA before, and have to get used to the idea of having a chronic inflammatory illness, together with the steroid therapy that is the only standard effective treatment widely available. Several months into their diagnosis they often have many questions about why their journey through PMR and GCA isn't as smooth as they were led to expect. This book is written to give people who have Polymyalgia Rheumatica, or Giant Cell Arteritis (sometimes known as temporal arteritis), and their friends and carers, information about these illnesses, drawing on recent research. It also aims to give insights into what it is like to have these conditions, and how sufferers and those close to them can help themselves in the self-management of their condition towards recovery. It is not intended to replace information provided by your doctor or clinician. This second edition incorporates recommendations by international working groups on the diagnosis and management of PMR and GCA, and findings from research published since 2014. A full references list and index have been added. The author, Dr Kate Gilbert, PhD, is a semi-retired lecturer in management development, now concentrating on writing and voluntary work. She has spent several years, as a PMR survivor, studying these conditions and working as a volunteer with the PMR and GCA charity, PMRGCAuk. A former Chair of Trustees, she helps to edit the charity's website www.pmrgcauk.com and its regular newsletter. She has also served as a patient representative on a number of working groups, including the ACR/EULAR group to develop international recommendations for PMR, and has recently contributed a chapter on patient education to a medical textbook on PMR and GCA published by Oxford University Press.

This book, now in an extensively updated and expanded third edition, offers important insights into polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA), providing an overview of their pathophysiology, genetics, immunology, and endocrinological mechanisms but above all presenting the state of the art in diagnosis and treatment. Both PMR and GCA are diseases of advanced age. Early diagnosis and treatment can save one of the most precious senses – vision. In this book, the role of imaging techniques is thoroughly examined, with particular attention to ultrasonography and FDG PET. All aspects of management of both diseases are discussed, including the current use of glucocorticoids, the efficacy of modern biological treatment, such as infliximab, tocilizumab, and rituximab, and the available monitoring tools. Diagnostic criteria for PMR and GCA are outlined, with discussion of differential diagnosis. Among the other topics addressed are disease classification, the histopathology of GCA, the ACR criteria for temporal arteritis, the value of temporal artery biopsy in GCA, serum cytokine profiles, chronobiology, and sine syndromes. The reader will find that the book aids in achieving early diagnosis and providing faster and more effective disease management. General readers with an interest in rheumatology, internal medicine, ophthalmology and gerontology will find this book particularly valuable.

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are related conditions occurring almost exclusively in older people. Polymyalgia rheumatica is considered to be the rheumatic disease that is subject to the widest variations of clinical practice, partially due to the considerable uncertainty related to diagnosis and outcomes. Giant cell arteritis, an inflammatory form of vasculitis, may present with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations and can be complicated by acute ischemic events, the most serious of which is permanent blindness. Early recognition and adequate treatment of the condition is thus necessary to prevent patients' loss of independence and to maintain their quality of life. Part of the Oxford Rheumatology Library series, Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis provides quick and practically relevant information on several aspects of the diseases, particularly on diagnosis and management, with the ultimate aim of improving the patient's care. Chapters highlight current concepts of pathogenesis, recent advances of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and the ongoing research into the identification of new biomarkers and corticosteroid-sparing medications. Each chapter is complemented with key message boxes highlighting the most relevant information for clinical practice. This concise but comprehensive reference is particularly suited for rheumatologists, general practitioners, and other professionals caring for patients with PMR and GCA.

This quick-reference guide is the first book written specifically for the many third- and fourth-year medical students rotating on an orthopedic surgery service. Organized anatomically, it focuses on the diagnosis and management of the most common pathologic entities. Each chapter covers history, physical examination, imaging, and common diagnoses. For each diagnosis, the book sets out the typical presentation, options for non-operative and operative management, and expected outcomes. Chapters include key illustrations, quick-reference charts, tables, diagrams, and bulleted lists. Each chapter is co-authored by a senior resident or fellow and an established academic physician and is concise enough to be read in two or three hours. Students can read the text from cover to cover to gain a general foundation of knowledge that can be built upon when they begin their rotation, then use specific chapters to review a sub-specialty before starting a new rotation or seeing a patient with a sub-specialty attending. Practical and user-friendly, Orthopedic Surgery Clerkship is the ideal, on-the-spot resource for medical students and practitioners seeking fast facts on diagnosis and management. Its bullet-pointed outline format makes it a perfect quick-reference, and its content breadth covers the most commonly encountered orthopedic problems in practice.

An essential resource for diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients outside the usual clinical categories.

This book represents the proceedings of a conference, Rheumaderm, that was held in December 1997. The meeting was a dialogue between the specialties of Rheumatology and Dermatology, exploring and discussing areas of common interest. The aim was to present problems common to both specialties, thereby emphasising the team approach to such problems and helping to combine various skills.