Rehabilitation of people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Rehabilitation, as an adjunct to pharmacological and surgical therapies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), aims to minimize the consequences of the disease. For a systematic assessment of the consequences of disease, an appropriate definition and evaluation of the goals of therapy and interventions, and an active partnership with the patient, a structured approach to rehabilitation management is needed.Despite widespread positive clinical experience with rehabilitative interventions, the scientific evidence of their effectiveness is, in general, scanty, owing to a lack of studies with sufficient methodological quality. Further well-designed clinical studies are warranted with respect to several interventions where evidence is falling short.
Vliet Vlieland
Thea P M
TP
Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center and University of Professional Education Leiden, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. t.p.m.vliet_vlieland@lumc.nl
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities