Antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) comprises a group of systemic inflammatory vasculitides associated with circulating autoantibodies directed against the neutrophil granule components proteinase 3 and myeloperoxidase. ANCA interact with…
The epidemiology of the antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAV), comprising Wegener’s granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, and Churg-Strauss syndrome, poses considerable challenges to epidemiologists. These challenges include the difficulty of defining…
An essential early step toward understanding vasculitis was recognition in 1948 of the differences between the small artery disease of polyarteritis, essentially sparing the glomerulus and lungs, and disease of…
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system is a powerful neuroendocrine control mechanism involved in many core body functions including metabolic and energy homeostasis. The HPA axis has been considered an important immune…
Pregnancy, whether normal or complicated, induces change in nearly every system of the body. Because most rheumatologic disorders are multisystemic and often affect young women, it may be difficult to…
Articular involvement in acromegaly is one of the most frequent clinical complications and may be present as the earliest symptom in a significant proportion of patients. The involvement of other…
Understanding adrenal disorders, whether endogenous or related to glucocorticoid use is important to the day-to-day care of patients with rheumatologic disease. This article addresses diagnosis and treatment of these disorders,…
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a widespread chronic disease, the complications of which affect several different organ systems. Characterization of the musculoskeletal complications of DM is derived predominantly from observational studies….
Patients with parathyroid disease can have important musculoskeletal problems. Hypoparathyroidism can cause subcutaneous calcifications, tetany, muscle cramps, and paresthesias, but also myopathies and an ankylosing spondylitis-like back disease. Hypoparathyroidism can…
Metabolic bone disease is becoming a more recognized disease entity. Endocrine disease often is associated with metabolic bone disease. This article attempts to delineate the current knowledge of osteoporosis and…
