RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 How to reduce morbidity and mortality from chest infections in rheumatoid arthritis
JF Clinical Medicine
JO Clin Med
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 326
OP 329
DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.10-4-326
VO 10
IS 4
A1 MM Housden
A1 G Bell
A1 CR Heycock
A1 J Hamilton
A1 V Saravanan
A1 CA Kelly
YR 2010
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/10/4/326.abstract
AB Morbidity and mortality from pneumonia is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Factors contributing to this have been recently identified and a number of recommendations have been implemented in an attempt to reverse this trend. The present paper shows that these measures have combined to produce a fourfold reduction in both admissions and case fatality rates. In the study population, immunisation rates against influenza and pneumococcus have improved to 86% and 65%, oral steroid consumption has halved and disease modifying drugs were usually appropriately suspended during acute infection. These measures may now merit more widespread adoption.