Description of Conference: SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES FOR THIS COURSE:
DAY 1 - CLINICAL APPROACH TO THE PATIENT WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES – Evaluation of rheumatic disease including: Role of the history and physical examination; Patterns that allow clinical differentiation of rheumatic diseases.
LABORATORY AND RADIOLOGICAL TESTS IN RHEUMATOLOGY – Synovial fluid analysis. Use and limitations of laboratory testing.
SOFT TISSUE RHEUMATOLOGY – Diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue rheumatic conditions. Clinical aspects of entrapment neuropathies and their association with systemic conditions. Key x-ray findings in rheumatic diseases. RHEUMATOLOGIC PROCEDURES – Techniques and indications for intraarticular and soft tissue injections.
DAY 2 - SPONDYLOARTHROPATHIES – Clinical features of the different spondyloarthropathies to improve diagnostic accuracy. Treatment modalities.
IDIOPATHIC INFLAMMATORY MYOPATHIES – Diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune inflammatory myopathies. Differential diagnosis of polymyositis, including drug induced myopathies. CRYSTAL ARTHROPATHIES – Diagnosis and treatment of crystal arthropathies including gout and pseudogout. VASCULITIS – Clinical manifestations of the various vasculitides and diagnostic evaluation. Treatment modalities.
DAY 3 - CLINICAL ASPECTS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS – Clinical features. The systemic nature of the disease. TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS – Treatment. Use and toxicity of disease modifying agents. FIBROMYALGIA – Epidemiology. Diagnosis and management. LYME DISEASE AND OTHER TOPICS IN RHEUMATOLOGY – Conditions which have Rheumatic manifestations, emphasis upon evaluation and treatment.
DAY 4 - SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS – Clinical presentations and course of systemic lupus erythematosus. Use of laboratory testing in diagnosis. Treatment options in systemic lupus erythematosus. SCLERODERMA AND RAYNAUD’S DISEASE – Clinical manifestations of scleroderma. Treatment for symptomatic manifestations. Diagnostic work-up and treatment of Raynaud’s Phenomenon. RHEUMATOLOGY PEARLS – Clinical points related to rheumatic diseases which emphasize efficient diagnosis and treatment. OSTEOPOROSIS: EVALUATION AND TREATMENT – Pathophysiology and epidemiology. Role of bone mineral density measurement in diagnosis. Nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments.
DAY 5 - OSTEOARTHRITIS – Distinguish osteoarthritis from other forms of arthritis. Use of medical, physical and surgical treatments. SEPTIC ARTHRITIS – Diagnosis and risk factors. Importance of early treatment, and indications for surgery. INTERACTIVE CASE PRESENTATIONS, PART I & II – Manifestations of some common and uncommon Rheumatic diseases in a case presentation format.
