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Book review
Rheumatoid Arthritis. John D. Isaacs and Larry W. Moreland, Oxford, UK: Health Press International Limited, April 2002, 96 pages, $19.95 (US). This handbook is part of a series called Fast Facts, Indispensible Guides to Clinical Practice, which focuses on providing pocketbook synopses of diseases. Previously published Fast Facts topics have included "Osteoporosis" and "Soft Tissue Rheumatology." The authors of this text are experts in their field and provide an overview of rheumatoid arthritis. The resulting reference is a concise yet comprehensive review of RA. There are 10 chapters, including sections on Aetiology, Clinical Features, and Investigation. However the authors have elected for their first chapter to concentrate on normal joint anatomy, which suitably provides the reader with some fundamental tools to approach the chapter on Pathogenesis. There is up to date information on treatment, including a section on Management with Biological Response Modifiers. Despite the acknowledged purpose of being a quick reference text, the reader will be pleasantly surprised to find a chapter devoted to assessment of rheumatic disease activity. Well organized tables, figures, and pictures complement the easy to read text. Each chapter aptly concludes with a summary of the pertinent points as well as key references for those who wish to do further detail. This is a well organized and thorough review that is appropriately directed to medical students and residents as well as family practitioners. Bindu Nair, MD, FRCPC, Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 0W8, Canada. |