Rheumatic diseases comprise a wide spectrum of different conditions. Some are caused by disturbances of the adaptive immune system, while defects in innate immune responses have been identified for others….
Rheumatologists have largely conceptualised joint disease in inflammatory and degenerative arthritis in terms of bone, cartilage and the synovial lining, but have tended to overlook other integral components of the…
Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease in which an autoimmune response translates primarily into joint inflammation with attendant joint destruction. While evidence implicates both the adaptive and innate immune system…
Articular cartilage is a uniquely ordered tissue that is designed to resist compression and redistribute load, but is poorly equipped for self-repair. The chondrocyte is the only resident cell type,…
In the past decade, tocilizumab, an anti interleukin-6 agent, has been successfully developed as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis. In…
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory spondyloarthritis that occurs in combination with psoriasis. The exact prevalence of PsA is unknown, and its pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated….
Spondyloarthropathies (SpA) are a group of common inflammatory rheumatic disorders characterised by axial and or peripheral arthritis, associated with enthesitis, dactylitis and potential extra-articular manifestations such as uveitis and skin…
Objective Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disease, presenting with recurrent episodes of fever and polyserositis. Neurologic involvement in FMF is rare and usually considered fortuitous. The…
Abstract Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease characterised by progressive injury to exocrine glands accompanied by diverse extra-glandular manifestations. The spectrum of Sjögren’s manifestations expanded in recent years to…
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory rheumatic disease that commonly affects individuals over 50 years of age, characterised by pain and morning stiffness of the shoulder and pelvic girdle. PMR…
