The perioperative use of disease-modifying and biologic therapies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing elective orthopedic surgery.

摘要

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, multisystem autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, characterized by a symmetrical inflammatory poly-arthropathy. It is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in adults and is believed to affect approximately 1% of the adult population in the United Kingdom.1 The principles of management of rheumatoid arthritis are to relieve pain, modify the underlying disease process and inflammation, and maintain normal function.