Management of Inflammatory Arthritis

Inflammatory Arthritis

Management of Inflammatory Arthritis

·        The different arthropathies overlap 

·         The issue is less which arthritis it is, but whether there are risk factors for serious disease (of which the type of arthritis is but one factor). This risk assessment will determine whether treatment is aimed at:

o   Aggressive treatment: use of immunosuppressives and DMARDs to induce/maintain remission

o   Symptomatic treatment

·        Risk factors for any inflammatory disease:

o   Evidence of active inflammation: eg morning stiffness, ¯function, biochemical markers

o   Extra-articular involvement: eg lung, vasculitis, etc

o   Gradual onset (this is worse than sudden onset)

o   Large joint involvement

o   Genetic markets: HLA DR1 and DR4, etc

o   Presence of rheumatoid factor (-ive prognostic factor for erosions in rheumatoid arthritis)

o   Radiographic abnormalities