Rheumatology
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Rheumatoid Arthritis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Long-Term Management
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints but can also involve the lungs, heart, eyes, skin, and other organs. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is largely related to mechanical wear and tear, rheumatoid arthritis is driven by persistent inflammation of the synovial lining of the joints. Early recognition matters. Without treatment,…
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Amyloidosis: Recognition, Diagnosis, and Treatment Clinical Cheat Sheet
Amyloidosis comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by extracellular deposition of misfolded proteins as amyloid fibrils. The clinical phenotype depends on the precursor protein, the organs involved, and the extent of tissue deposition. The most important systemic forms encountered in clinical practice are immunoglobulin light-chain amyloidosis, or AL amyloidosis; transthyretin amyloidosis, or ATTR amyloidosis;…