This book explores comorbidity in patients with rheumatic diseases and details both care and treatment options in standard clinical practice. Patients with rheumatic diseases are clinically complex, and the interplay of their disease activity with associated conditions may lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Recently there have been major advances in the management of rheumatic diseases, however, without addressing the potential comorbid conditions, including cardiovascular disease; pulmonary disease; and depression; outcomes remain poor. With its 19 chapters, covering the management of major rheumatic diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus , and osteoarthritis), potential comorbidities and treatment recommendations, as well as possible interactions between conditions; this book addresses the gap between textbook medicine and day to day patients' care. Authors also discuss the new hot issue of the comorbidity index, comparing the standard tools to the recently developed indices and how they can assist the rheumatologists in determining disease burden, prognosis, and comorbidity probability. This book is an ideal clinical guide and reference that enables rheumatologists, internal medicine physicians, and residents to address the full clinical expression of these rheumatic diseases with views towards prevention or early management of comorbid conditions.

This book is a practical and evidence-based guide to performing clinical musculoskeletal ultrasound for patients suffering from various rheumatic diseases. It represents the best current thinking on the role of ultrasonography in the assessment of pathology, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. Following introductory chapters covering fundamental techniques and pitfalls of musculoskeletal ultrasound, the book discusses the uses of ultrasound to identify and monitor different rheumatic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis, pediatric musculoskeletal disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome and inflammatory conditions. It concludes with a chapter dedicated to ultrasound-guided interventional procedures, with illustrations depicting patients and probe positioning. Featuring contributions from a large international group of leaders in musculoskeletal ultrasonography, Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography in Rheumatic Diseases is an authoritative reference for rheumatologists, sonographers, radiologists and orthopedic specialists.