Rheumatoid Arthritis
Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects 0.5-1% of most populations worldwide. The average age of onset is 55 years but it can occur at any time, even in infancy (juvenile idiopathic…
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Introduction Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex, multisystem, autoimmune condition characterised by autoantibodies directed against nuclear components. It affects approximately 1 in 4000 and is more common in women…
Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the prototypical inflammatory arthropathy. The primary site of disease is the synovium, which becomes inflamed and proliferates to form pannus: a mass of T cells,…
Problems Presenting in the Lower Leg
Knee The knee is very susceptible to problems, especially from sports such as football and skiing, where the body turns fast on a fixed foot. The history will give a…
History and Examination of the Leg
Hip Make sure that you have adequate exposure on both sides so that the normal can be compared with the abnormal. Use the system ‘look, feel, move’ (see Chapters 3,…
Problems Presenting in the Hip
Introduction Problems with the hip can occur at any age, and for each age group the most likely diagnosis is different. Hip dysplasia The condition is not common, but is…
