Publisher's Synopsis
The new edition of this highly successful textbook is now available in one carefully integrated volume. A strong clinical emphasis is present throughout from the first section of commonly presenting problems through to the section addressing problems shared with a range of other clinical sub-specialties. The therapy of rheumatic diseases has undergone radical change in the last years with new biological therapies and the new evidence for these therapies is covered extensively. For this edition, all chapters are updated, many are completely new and a considerable number radically revised. Certain chapters are highly innovative in their approach e.g. Adolescence in transition and there is an almost completely new 5 chapter section on outcomes and issues in delivering rheumatological care. In order to tackle the question of how these clinical problems arise a well written beautifully illustrated account is given of fundamental processes of inflammation. This clearly shows that musculoskeletal diseases in the main arise as a combination of genetic, hormonal, environmental and other factors which conspire against the individual. The fourth section deals with the important topic of investigations. Patients with rheumatological disease often suffer a wide variety of complications and this section provides a detailed review of means of assessment. The book also provides a thorough and comprehensive review of the many forms of arthritis and their allied complications, illustrated by many colour photographs. Numerous clinical algorithms are provided throughout to facilitate discussions about management in each of the major forms of arthritis. The publishers would like to thank the following companies whose generous support has enabled us to produce the colour illustrations in this book: Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Aventis, and Shering-Plough Ltd.
