[Therapy of ankylosing spondylitis]. / Therapie der Spondylitis ankylosans.

Due to the unknown etiology of the ankylosing spondylarthritis up to now a causal therapy is not possible. By complex methods of treatment, consisting of chemo- and physiotherapeutic measures we succeed in controlling the course of the disease in as far that the most severe morphological lesions may be prevented. Decisive is the use of a basis therapeutic, in which case chlorochine has been proved favourable. In the last years by optimum dispensary care of these patients with regular controls of the course and controls of the therapy as well as use of all possible rehabilitation measures the premature rate of invalidisation could be reduced from about 50% to 10%. When the disease is recognized in the prodromal phase there exists established hope of preventing severe morphological lesions.

[Results of different long term treatments of patients in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis]. / Resultate der unterschiedlichen Langzeitbehandlung von Patienten im Frühstadium der Rheumatoid-Arthritis

In a clinical 5-year-study on 200 patients with rheumatoid arthritis with the help of the dynamics of radiological changes (radiological progressing), the joint deformation, the reduction of function and the new affection of joints (clinical progressing) as well as the medium position of activity the progressing of the disease and a good, satisfying or missing success of the long-term therapy were estimated. From the characteristics of the individual groups of therapy conclusions for the therapy in the early phase of the rheumatoid arthritis were derived.

[Longitudinal study on the locomotor function test in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]. / Längsschnittuntersuchung mit dem Bewegungsfunktionstest bei Patienten mit Rheumatoid-Arthritis

With the help of a four-year observation of the course of rheumatoed arthritis in 100 patients the evidence of the locomotor functional test after Keitel is examined for the longitudinal research. The locomotor functional test proved depending on the actual activity and in a high percentage of patients showed considerable variations from year to year which were not parallel to the clinical and radiological progression. It is not sufficiently evident as the only criterion for the establishment of the progression of the disease. The locomotor functional test is well suited for the judgement of the success of therapy in short periods and the objectivation of the actual restriction of the function especially for questionings of experts. It is proposed to include the locomotor functional test into the criteria for the establishment of the degree of function.

[Early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis]. / Frühdiagnostik der Rheumatoid-Arthritis

On the basis of own observations of courses the author adopts a definite attitude to the early symptomatology of the rheumatoid arthritis. During the first weeks of the rheumatoid arthritis the following symptoms are found: articular syndromes, more frequently in form of obstinate polyarthralgias, mono-oligoarthritis, accompanied by morning rigidity and accelerated BSR as well as impairment of the general condition. In the majority of the patients only the tentative diagnosis rheumatoid arthritis may be made. After a one to three months' course of the disease the diagnosis becomes more probable. It is above all based on constancy and symmetry, characteristic localisation of the articular process, morning rigidity, radiologically paraarticular loosening of the structure and morphological symptoms of an acute and subacute synovialitis. 6 to 12 months after the beginning of the disease a clinical picture forms which allows to make the diagnosis of a certain or classical rheumatoid arthritis in accordance with the criteria of the ARA. The occurrence of a high activity of multiple affection of the joints (permanent symmetrical polyarthritis including the small joints of the hands and feet), distinctive morning rigidity, high fever and much accelerated BSR, beginning with the first weeks of the disease, speaks for the possibility of the development of an arthrovisceral form of the course of rheumatoid arthritis.