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Presents the relationship of rheumatoid and prognosis. Review on published reports on relating rheumatoid with progression and prognosis; Indication of the review result; Need of intensive study on the rheumatoid disease.

Focuses on the rheumatic disorders and its method of treatment. Requirements for acute gout; Manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis condition; Areas affected in rheumatoid arthritis; Treatment of polymyalgia arteritica.

Systemic sclerosis is a disease which usually progresses or reaches a plateau with persistence of symptoms and signs. Regression is extremely unusual. Four cases of established scleroderma are described in which regression is well documented. The significance of this observation and possible mechanisms of disease regression are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Reports developments related to medicine in Great Britain as of September 1979. Relative merits of buprenorphine and diamorphine; Incidence of hematuria in long-distance runners; Introduction of the concept of cerebral revascularization to the public.

Comments on several issues related to medicine in Great Britain. Failure to emphasize measures for the survival of asthmatics; Diagnosis of colostrum deficiency syndrome; Reliability of the report on cervical cytology.

Presents letters on issues related to medicine. Condition of health education in the reorganized National Health Service; Inquiry among outpatients of the rheumatism unit; Occurrence of hyperglucagonemia in the surgical patients.

Fenoprofen, a compound with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties in animals, has been compared with placebo in a double-blind cross-over trial in 60 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. There was a statistically highly significant reduction in pain, duration of morning stiffness, analgesic requirements, and articular index, with increase in grip strength. There was no significant reduction in joint size or temperature. In a subsequent double-blind group-comparative study fenoprofen proved to be as effective as aspirin in relieving the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, with strikingly fewer side effects. Almost half of the patients taking aspirin were unable to tolerate the drug in adequate dosage for six months. The remainder were able to take on average only 4 g daily, and at this dose almost half still complained of tinnitus and deafness. Fenoprofen is likely to be useful for patients who cannot tolerate aspirin and other more toxic anti-inflammatory drugs or whose disease is not of sufficient severity to justify their use. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Pain patterns vary greatly in the different types of arthritis, from the localized agony without mental overtones in acute gout to the diffuse disorder we call rheumatoid arthritis, where inflammation of many joints, systemic illness, anaemia, anxiety, and depression are usually all present in some degree. Each pain pattern calls for a different therapeutic approach, physical, psychological, and pharmacological. Few patients suffer as much pain and suffering over many years as do chronic arthritics. It is all the more important to instruct them in the essentials of their own treatment. A patient with an occupied and instructed mind usually suffers less than an ignorant and depressed one, fearful of her disease and its complications and of the dark uncertain future that lies ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Dyspeptic symptoms, gastrointestinal bleeding, or the development of anaemia without dyspepsia in patients treated with indomethacin may be manifestations of peptic ulceration. Such manifestations occur with suppositories as well as with capsules. The ulcers in the present series tended to be prepyloric, and often aroused the suspicion of malignancy. Symptoms were promptly relieved and radiological healing occurred rapidly after withdrawal of the drug. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Pain may be attacked in the rheumatic diseases (1) centrally, with drugs ranging in efficiency from those which are potentially addictive and under the Dangerous Drugs Act (e.g., pethidine) and are therefore rarely used, down to simple analgesics such as paracetamol; (2) peripherally, by local action, whether it be by applications of heat or cold, by injections of local anaesthetics or anti-inflammatory agents, or by surgery; (3) peripherally, by anti-inflammatory non-analgesic agents taken systemically, such as the corticosteroids; and (4) peripherally, by anti-inflammatory-analgesic-antipyretic agents taken systemically, such as aspirin. The exact sites of action of the pyrazoles, indomethacin, the anthranilic compounds, and other anti-inflammatory-analgesic-antipyretic drugs are as yet uncertain, but along with these methods of attacking the pain-producing areas help must also be given to the distressed mind behind the joints. Faith in the future, cheerfulness, freedom from depression, and the development of a philosophy to deal with the uncertainties of the disease are essential. It has been said that you don't have to be a doctor to treat uncomplicated lobar pneumonia: anybody with a bottle of penicillin in his hands holds the cure. It is the incurable diseases that are really worth treating, and that make demands on the physician. To quote Tuker: “My last word is this. Whoever has the care of a sorely stricken arthritic must encourage him to fulfil himself intellectually and spiritually, and to achieve—no matter what, but to achieve, so that he may nightly lay himself down on his bed of pain looking forward happily to the morrow's task, mind centred upon it, no matter what it is; sticking in stamps, research into anything you like, dabbling with pastel or water colours, writing chatty letters to friends. Anything at all, but let it be for him the most pressing thing of the day, and let him believe that you think it is. Help him and let him live, live fully.” This is perhaps the best analgesic of all. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Focuses on the history of the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Efficacy of the treatment; Combination of fluid and salts as one of the remedies; Etiology of the reagents.

Presents tips to handle chronic or recurring pain as result of disease. Categories of pain handled by the person as part of life; Citations in relation to pain; Reflections to ease pain.

In William Harvey's day almost any or every arthropathy was termed gout. This is evident in the case histories of some of his patients and in his own case, where his own cold water therapy would suggest the correct diagnosis was not gout but erythromelalgia (Weir Mitchell's disease). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain threshold was measured in 106 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 50 with ankylosing spondylitis, and 50 normal controls using Keele's algometer. In rheumatoid arthritis patients with a low pain threshold had more severe pain for a greater part of the day and required more tablets for pain relief. In ankylosing spondylitis the pain threshold was higher and was not related to pain or analgesic requirements. There was no evidence that pain threshold affected the course or outcome of rheumatoid arthritis in any way. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]