Rheumatology Book

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Management

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  1. See Also
    1. Rheumatoid Arthritis
    2. Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis
    3. Rheumatoid Arthritis Articular Signs
    4. Rheumatoid Arthritis Extra-articular Signs
    5. Felty's Syndrome
    6. Rheumatoid Arthritis Antiinflammatory Medications
    7. Rheumatoid Arthritis Remittive Agents
  2. Approach
    1. Assess Current disease activity
      1. Morning Stiffness
      2. Synovitis
      3. Fatigue
      4. Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
    2. Document Joint Damage
      1. Joint Range of motion and deformities
      2. XRay joint space narrowing and Erosions
      3. Functional status
    3. Document Joint Extra-articular manifestations
      1. Nodules
      2. Pulmonary fibrosis
      3. Vasculitis
  3. Management
    1. Non-Pharmacologic
      1. Systemic and articular rest
      2. Physiotherapy (heat, cold)
      3. Exercises
        1. Range of Motion
        2. Conditioning
        3. Strengthening Exercises
      4. Assistive Devices
      5. Patient Education Materials
        1. Arthritis Foundation
        2. American College Rheumatology
    2. Rheumatoid Arthritis Remittive Medications (DMARDs)
      1. Most important agents in Rheumatoid Arthritis
      2. Examples: Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine, Plaquenil
    3. Rheumatoid Arthritis Antiinflammatory Medications
      1. Used in combination with DMARDs
      2. Example: NSAIDs, COX2 Inhibitors
    4. Other medications
      1. Atorvastatin
        1. Showed modest benefit in clinical improvement
        2. McCarey (2004) Lancet 363:2015

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