title: Perioperative Treatment of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease mediated by a widespread, chronic, and systematic inflammatory process that causes joint deterioration, which leads to pain, disability, and poor quality of life. The increased use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs has been shown to markedly slow disease progression, which has translated into a decrease in the need for orthopaedic intervention in this population. However, in a substantial percentage of patients with the disease, optimal pharmacologic treatment fails and surgical intervention is required. A thorough understanding of medical considerations in these patients and improved knowledge of the medical complications caused by the disease process and the pharmacologic therapy used to treat it may lead to improved preoperative planning and medical clearance, which may ultimately improve the overall postoperative outcome.
authors.affiliation: Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Director of Clinical and Translational Research, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.
authors.forename: Khaled J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurdi
authors.forename: Mouhanad M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: El-Othmani
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.forename: Tony H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.forename: Jasmine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mihalko
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents