Inflammation and Its Mediators
The immune system, the function of which is to protect against infections, comprises two branches: a more primitive one called innate (natural, native) immunity and the more recently evolved one…
RHEUMATOLOGY
Structure and Function
Inflammation, the fundamental pathologic process in rheumatic diseases, may disrupt the anatomy and function of any structure or tissue. Those structures primarily affected in rheumatic diseases are the connective tissues,…
Integrative Genomics
When viewed from a clinical perspective, few of the common pediatric rheumatic diseases appear to be genetically determined. Family histories are rarely positive for diseases such as juvenile idiopathic arthritis…
Adaptive Immunity and Autoimmunity: Translation from Bench to Bedside
The Adaptive Immune Response Most childhood autoimmune diseases are complex, multifactorial diseases. Through interactions with a defined genetic susceptibility, other, mostly unknown, environmental factors play a role in the pathogenesis….
Pediatric Rheumatology: The Study of Rheumatic Diseases in Childhood and Adolescence
What are Rheumatic Diseases? Rheumatic diseases are a diverse group of chronic diseases united by the presence of chronic inflammation, usually of unknown cause, affecting structures of the musculoskeletal system,…
Regional Disorders of the Neck, Shoulder, Arm, and Hand
REGIONAL DISORDERS OF THE NECK A 45-year-old healthy woman presented with neck pain with gradual onset over 3 to 4 weeks. Pain was described as worse in the lower neck…
Management of the Connective Tissue Diseases of Childhood
Rheumatic diseases in childhood, although biologically similar to those in adults, represent a unique class of disorders that often possess distinctive differences in clinical manifestations, therapeutic goals, and overall prognostic…
Economic Considerations in the Treatment of Rheumatic Diseases
INTRODUCTION This chapter will address • the reasons for economic analysis in health care, including health technology assessment (HTA) and reimbursement of treatments • the methods of economic analysis, including…
Management of Lyme Disease
INTRODUCTION Lyme disease, first recognized in 1976 because of an epidemic of oligoarthritis in children in Lyme, CT, is now the most common vector borne illness in both North America…
Management of Mechanical Lumbar Spine Disease
Mechanical disorders of the lumbar spine are the most common causes of low back pain. These disorders are related to overuse of a normal anatomic structure or secondary to deformity…
