Systemic Disorders (Subscribe)  

There is no single unifying trait for these disorders. Some have their genetic defect well characterized. Others are still waiting for the discovery of the gene or genes which are damaged. The diagnosis requires careful clinical laboratory evaluation and may require testing for enzymes that are...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease associated with antinuclear antibody (ANA) production. Clinical manifestations of SLE can involve nearly every organ system, including the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, nervous system, blood, and musculoskeletal system. Patients with SLE may initially present to the orthopedist because joint...

Pulse therapy with high doses of corticosteroids, although generally well tolerated, is associated with a variety of side effects, sometimes life threatening but, more often, mild. Among these, joint manifestations are only rarely encountered. Patients sometimes feel transient arthralgias, but the development of synovial effusion is exceptionally reported.
We described the...