Welcome

Welcome to the International Journal of Advances in Rheumatology, a CME-accredited quarterly review journal, in print and online, which systematically identifies and highlights the most important recent developments in the assessment and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The journal provides access to a critical and clinically relevant review of information regarding rheumatological medicine, including information pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of rheumatic diseases.

Each issue of the International Journal of Advances in Rheumatology features in-depth review articles, written by practicing rheumatologists and related disciplines, discussing current and emerging topics of clinical interest (our “Leading Articles”). These articles are commissioned according to relevant themes identified by the Editors-in-Chief, Editorial Advisory Board, and readers. We also present an ongoing, systematic review of key articles selected from the international literature (our “Clinical Reviews”, written by the Editors), expert comment and analysis of specific cases relating to rheumatic disease assessment and management (our “Case Studies”), and reports from the major international meetings.

Please feel free to browse this website. We hope you find the journal informative and interesting. We welcome your comments, letters, and ideas for leading articles, case studies, and meeting reports.

Volume 6 Issue 4

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Leading Articles

Treatment Goals of Rheumatoid Arthritis and How to Reach Them

Tuulikki Sokka, MD, and Heidi Mäkinen, MD

Therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are assessed primarily according to measures of inflammatory activity in randomized clinical trials, including relative and absolute levels of indices of disease activity. In clinical care, the treatment goal is not only to suppress inflammation but to prevent consequences of the disease such as joint deformity, work disability, comorbidities, and early death. Current technology may be used for monitoring and documenting disease status to aid decision-making towards global improvement of outcomes in patients with RA.

Review of Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Ora Singer, MD, and Allan Gibofsky, MD, JD, FACP, FCLM

Early, aggressive disease management is critical for halting disease progression and joint destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Combination therapy with at least two disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is more effective than monotherapy in reducing disease activity. Biological therapies represent a more effective treatment option with tolerable side effects. They have been shown to dramatically reduce inflammation, inhibit radiographic progression, and induce remission. This article reviews the pivotal studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of DMARDs and biological agents used as monotherapy and in combination.

Epidemiology of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Lessons from the Euro-Lupus Cohort

Ricard Cervera, MD, PhD, FRCP

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can affect many organs and has a range of clinical and immunological manifestations. The present review considers the epidemiology of SLE and evaluates the factors that impact upon the incidence and prevalence of the disease. Specific focus is given the Euro-Lupus Cohort – a prospective registry of 1000 SLE patients followed since 1991 – which has provided key data on SLE.

Clinical Reviews

Commentary and Analysis on Recent Key Papers

Meeting Report

Report from the 15th Paediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS) Congress

Halima Moncrieffe, BSc, PhD, Haeley Mato, BHSc, and Lucy R Wedderburn, MD, PhD, FRCP

The 15th Paediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS) Congress (14–17 September 2008) was held at University College London, London, UK, and featured integrated clinical, scientific, and allied health professional sessions on all aspects of pediatric rheumatology. Abstracts can be found at: http://www.ped-rheum.com/supplements.

American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting 2008

Jan Leipe, MD

The recent American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ACR/AHRP) annual scientific meeting, held on October 24–29, 2008, in San Francisco, CA, USA, attracted a record-breaking number of around 15 000 attendees from >100 countries. The highlights presented in this report aim to provide important new information to clinicians, which could influence daily clinical practice.

Other Remedica Publications

Click here for “Highlights” from recent EULAR and ACR meetings, and to obtain CME credit.

For detailed analyses of “Abstracts” from recent international meetings, click here.

Follow this link for a comprehensive analysis of recent advances in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, and to obtain CME credit.