Annual Evidence Update on Rheumatoid Arthritis: 26-30 April 2010

An update of the evidence on this topic from NHS Evidence - musculoskeletal.

NHS Evidence - musculoskeletal have produced an Annual Evidence Update on Rheumatoid Arthritis. Having searched the literature for high quality evidence that has accumulated within the last year, NHS Evidence - musculoskeletal have focused on guidance and systematic reviews published before March 2010. As in recent years the majority of publications relate to various aspects of drug treatments. Although this constitutes a proportion of the clinical activity in relation to this disease, other important developments and various aspects of rheumatoid disease management also feature prominently in our update. This Annual Evidence Update should be of particular interest to all health professionals working in this field.

Find out more at www.library.nhs.uk/musculoskeletal.

Annual Evidence Update on Rheumatoid Arthritis: 27 April - 1 May 2009

An update of the evidence on this topic from the NLH Musculoskeletal Specialist Library.

The team responsible for the Musculoskeletal Specialist Library has searched the literature for high quality Rheumatoid Arthritis evidence that has accumulated within the last year. We have focused on guidance and systematic reviews published before March 2009. As in recent years the majority of publications relate to various aspects of treatment with biologics. Although this constitutes an increasing proportion of the clinical activity in relation to this disease, we should not lose sight of other important developments and various aspects of rheumatoid disease management feature prominently in our update. It might seem obvious that patients should be able to expect the same high standard of care from the NHS wherever they are located in the UK but the fact that their experience varies greatly has been highlighted in a report from the King's Fund. This would be justifiable if there was no evidence to guide practice but this is far from being the case. Perhaps the most important publication during the year has been the NICE Guideline on Rheumatoid Arthritis. The widespread implementation of this guidance has the potential to greatly improve the lives and outlook of very many patients with this devastating disease.

Find out more at http://www.library.nhs.uk/musculoskeletal.

National Knowledge Week on Rheumatoid Arthritis: 21-25 April 2008

An update of the evidence on this topic produced by the NLH Musculoskeletal Specialist Library.

The management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has improved dramatically over recent years. This has been driven by our greater understanding of the pathological processes that underlie it. It is particularly exciting to consider that inducing remission in RA is now a realistic goal – something that would have been unheard of in the past.

The RA National Knowledge Week provides an excellent opportunity to highlight some of these achievements in the form of concise reviews and summaries from leaders in their fields with topics selected by a panel of experts. The items are covered under the broad headings of basic science (with a focus on how advances in laboratory work can help us understand disease); clinical aspects (emphasising the fact that RA does not only affect joints but also cause problems in other parts of the body); drug treatment (how and when we should best treat this condition); other treatment modalities (reminding us that other therapies such as physiotherapy may be very important in RA) and surgery (whilst used much less as a treatment for RA today, surgery can play a very important role).

These advances in understanding and treating RA, summarised in these articles, have resulted in a vastly improved outlook for patients today.

Find out more at http://www.library.nhs.uk/musculoskeletal

NKW: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): 7-11 May

The week commencing 7 May 2007 has been designated the Musculoskeletal and Trauma & Orthopaedics Specialist Libraries National Knowledge Week on Rheumatoid Arthritis and coincides with the British Society for Rheumatology Annual General Meeting.

Under the leadership of Dr Robin Butler, an Expert Panel has prepared a series of summaries which concisely set out the state of the art in relation to a variety of aspects of this disease. There will be material relating to aspects of disease management including existing, new and forthcoming drugs and also other hot topics such as identifying prognostic factors and the relationship between RA, infection and malignancy.

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