Mast Cells
16 Mast Cells Peter A. Nigrovic, David M. Lee Key Points Mast cells arise in the bone marrow, circulate as immature precursors, and develop into functional mast cells upon entering…
Neural Regulation of Pain and Inflammation
29 Neural Regulation of Pain and Inflammation Rainer H. Straub Key Points The sensory nervous system regulates peripheral inflammation, including release of mediators such as substance P and calcitonin gene–related…
Rheumatologic Manifestations of Hemoglobinopathies
120 Rheumatologic Manifestations of Hemoglobinopathies Brian Mandell Key Points The hemoglobinopathies differ in their pattern and severity of musculoskeletal manifestations. Sickle cell disease is characterized by painful vaso-occlusive crises, which…
Innate Immunity
18 Innate Immunity Steven A. Porcelli Key Points Innate immunity depends on recognition of conserved molecular patterns found in many microorganisms. Several families of pattern recognition receptors are responsible for…
Acute Phase Reactants and the Concept of Inflammation
57 Acute Phase Reactants and the Concept of Inflammation Amit Saxena, Bruce N. Cronstein Key Points Inflammation comprises a complex and highly variable set of processes that represent a response…
Assessment of Health Outcomes
33 Assessment of Health Outcomes Dorcas E. Beaton, Maarten Boers, Peter Tugwell Key Points Any single health outcome can only provide a particular view of the impact of a disease…
Economic Burden of Rheumatic Diseases
31 Economic Burden of Rheumatic Diseases Edward Yelin Key Points Studies of the economic burden of diseases are especially helpful in allocation of health care resources for musculoskeletal conditions in…
Psychosocial Management of Rheumatic Diseases
67 Psychosocial Management of Rheumatic Diseases W. Neal Roberts, Jr. Key Points Treatment of unrecognized depression is probably the psychosocial intervention with the greatest impact and is frequently required. Matching…
Epigenetics
22 Epigenetics Caroline Ospelt, Steffen Gay Key Points Epigenetic changes have a lasting effect on gene expression by modification of histone tails and DNA. DNA methylation silences gene expression, while…
Cardiovascular Risk in Rheumatic Disease
36 Cardiovascular Risk in Rheumatic Disease Sherine E. Gabriel, Deborah Symmons Key Points For nearly half a century, excess rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been reported among patients with…
