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Review
. 2016 Mar;31(2):219-36.
doi: 10.3904/kjim.2015.134. Epub 2016 Feb 26.

The specialist physician's approach to rheumatoid arthritis in South Africa

Frederik C J Bester  1 , Fredricka J Bosch  1 , Barend J Jansen van Rensburg  2
Affiliations
Review

The specialist physician's approach to rheumatoid arthritis in South Africa

Frederik C J Bester et al. Korean J Intern Med. 2016 Mar.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is expected to increase in Africa and South Africa. Due to the low numbers of rheumatologists in South Africa, specialist physicians also have to care for patients with RA. Furthermore several new developments have taken place in recent years which improved the management and outcome of RA. Classification criteria were updated, assessment follow-up tools were refined and above all, several new biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were developed. Therefore it is imperative for specialist physicians to update themselves with the newest developments in the management of RA. This article provides an overview of the newest developments in the management of RA in the South African context. This approach may well apply to countries with similar specialist to patient ratios and disease profiles.

Keywords: Biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; Rheumatoid arthritis criteria; Rheumatoid arthritis management; South Africa.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Duration (years) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a specialist physician practice in South Africa (cohort of 75 patients).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Clinical disease activity index (CDAI) scores for 75 patients with rheumatoid arthritis from a specialist physician practice in South Africa.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Number of patients with associated medical conditions in 75 rheumatoid arthritis patients from a specialist physician practice in South Africa. COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease; CA, cancer.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Prescription profile of synthetic and biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in 75 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a specialist physician practice in South Africa.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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