Raynaud’s Phenomenon Kyriakos A. Kirou KEY POINTS Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP) is characterized by episodic vasospasm and occlusion of the digital arteries in response to cold and emotional stress. This manifests…

Muscle Pain and Weakness Lawrence J. Kagen KEY POINTS Consider the etiology of muscle pain and weakness in several categories. Important diagnostic considerations should include the following: Is the presentation…

Rash and Arthritis Henry Lee Rachelle Scott Animesh A. Sinha KEY POINTS Mucocutaneous lesions are an important clinical feature of a number of conditions presenting with arthritis, ranging from infectious…

Acute Management of Musculoskeletal and Autoimmune Diseases Arthur M. F. Yee Edward Su This chapter is meant to be your curbside consultation with a rheumatologist. Once you have rapidly narrowed…

Monarthritis/Polyarthritis: Differential Diagnosis Stephen Ray Mitchell John F. Beary III KEY POINTS The number of joints involved and the time course of their involvement enable the physician to classify joint…

Psychosocial Aspects of the Rheumatic Diseases Sharon Danoff-Burg Tracey A. Revenson This chapter addresses psychological and social issues that many patients face in the course of living with rheumatic diseases….

Patient Education Laura Robbins John P. Allegrante At a time of groundbreaking medical advances in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases, patient education has become an essential…

Measuring Clinical Outcomes in Rheumatic Disease Melanie J. Harrison Lisa A. Mandl KEY POINTS Understanding the purpose, design, proper application, and clinical meaning of outcomes instruments is necessary for correct…

Ethical and Legal Considerations C. Ronald MacKenzie Allan Gibofsky Ethics and the law are related because each field is concerned with norms of conduct. While ethics examines what behaviors might…

Arthrocentesis, Intra-Articular Injection, and Synovial Fluid Analysis Jessica R. Berman Theodore R. Fields Richard Stern KEY POINTS Aspiration of a joint should always be performed on an initial evaluation or…