title: Therapeutic requirements in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Therapeutic requirements were determined for a group of 256 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) attending the Rheumatic Diseases Unit in Cape Town. Two-thirds of the patients had received or were receiving physiotherapy and half occupational therapy. Antidepressants had been taken by 24.2%, and 31.3% had received tranquillisers. All the patients had received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and 84 (32.8%) oral corticosteroids. One hundred and eighty-two patients (71.1%) had received one or more intra-articular or intralesional corticosteroid injections. A remittive agent or immunomodulatory drug had been prescribed to 163 patients (63.7%). Half the patients had undergone one or more surgical procedures for their RA. The outcome of management was favourable in the majority of patients, 78.1% having little or no functional disability. The management of patients with RA requires a team effort involving many different health professionals, and patients often require multiple drugs for the control of their disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Mody
authors.forename: O L
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Meyers
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones