title: The rheumatoid shoulder: current consensus on diagnosis and treatment.
abstract: Shoulder involvement is usually inconspicuous in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and the clinical manifestations are nonspecific. Nevertheless, shoulder involvement should be sought routinely and detected early. Range of motion at the shoulder should be evaluated. Although normal radiographic findings do not rule out shoulder involvement, radiographs are crucial for detecting micro- and macro-geodes during follow-up. The development of glenohumeral joint space narrowing is a turning point that indicates a risk of rapid joint destruction. Magnetic resonance imaging is useful for assessing the lesions and guiding the treatment strategy. Stepwise use of local interventions as indicated by imaging findings is recommended. Joint replacement should not be left too late, and surgical procedures on the shoulder should be built into the overall treatment plan.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Department, St-Etienne University Hospital, Boulevard Pasteur, 42055 Saint-Etienne cedex 02, France. thierry.thomas@univ-st-etienne.fr
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Noël
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goupille
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duquesnoy
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Combe
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012782:Shoulder / Q000473:pathology; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology