touchREVIEWS in RMD – Volume 3, Issue 1 – 2024

Welcome to the latest edition of touchREVIEWS in RMD! We’re excited to share a dynamic collection of articles that highlight the evolving landscape of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). We open the issue by delving into a series of editorials offering expert insights and critical analyses on recent developments and key issues in the field. […]

This editorial outlines a clinical approach to patients with periodic inflammation of unknown origin despite initial rational and targeted investigation. The focus of the editorial is on the recognition and diagnosis of systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAIDs). Although rare, SAIDs are valuable diagnoses given they carry a risk of disease-associated damage and are often treatable. The authors […]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) predominantly affects females and is characterized by multisystem involvement.1,2 Despite advancements in therapeutics, patients with SLE still experience poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL).3 Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by vasculopathy and fibrosis of the skin and visceral organs.4 Like SLE, SSc contributes to a high morbidity burden and negatively impacts patients’ HRQoL.4 Non-pharmacological […]

Although biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) are significantly cheaper now that biosimilar agents are available, they still represent a significant cost to health services worldwide, particularly since their prescription has only increased since the thresholds for commencing this treatment have been lowered. For example, in 2017/8, the total cost of adalimumab to the NHS in England […]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem, autoimmune disorder affecting skin, joints, kidneys, the heart, lungs, the brain and blood cells, and is characterized by heterogeneous presentations and severity. It is more common in females than males, with a ratio of 9:1, and it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.1 Despite recent novel therapies […]

The global burden of disease is heavily impacted by the increased prevalence of chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRDs [rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA), connective tissue diseases (CTDs) crystal arthropathies and polyarticular osteoarthritis (OA)]), which are prevalent chronic non-communicable diseases associated with pain, functional impairment, and years lived with disability (YLDs).1–4 Comorbidities associated with CIRDs contribute […]

It is increasingly recognized that autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) can affect people of any age, starting from early childhood and continuing until later in life. Furthermore, in recent decades, it has become apparent that Sjögren disease (SjD), commonly diagnosed in women aged 35–50 years old, can also affect men of all ages, as well as […]

Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The causes of DAH are diverse, and include rheumatologic conditions such as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Goodpasture’s syndrome (Table 1). Rheumatologists are frequently consulted, given the high degree of suspicion for these underlying aetiologies.  Another possible […]

This corrects the article: “Gheriani GA, Tuetken R and Lenert P. Lane–Hamilton Syndrome: A Vasculitis Mimic Presenting with Diffuse Alveolar Haemorrhage and Positive ANCA Testing. touchREVIEWS in RMD. 2024;3(1):37–42” The patient consent statement was added incorrectly due to an editorial error. The correct patient informed consent statement, provided by the authors, is included below. “Written […]