Wolfgang Müller (1925-2017) and Fritz Schilling (1919-2014) published the “Differential Diagnosis of Rheumatic Diseases” in 1977, a Swiss and German collaboration, as a guide and reference book for daily practice to cover the large number of diseases associated with rheumatic pain and manifestations. The book became a standard work for German speaking rheumatologists and appeared in 2018 in the 5th edition edited by Henning Zeidler and Beat Michel. Based on our experience with the German printed book and with the support from the USA rheumatologist Sterling G. West, the well known author of “Rheumatology Secrets”, we present the first English edition of “Differential Diagnosis of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases”.
The Ebook accounts for the multitude of internal, neurological, osteological and other diseases which are associated with rheumatic symptoms and can lead to pitfalls in the differential diagnosis. The content starts with the clinical background (history, examination, laboratory, imaging and other diagnostic tests) followed by detailed descriptions of all important differential diagnoses, divided into joint pain, back pain including brachialgia and sciatica, soft tissue rheumatism, and rheumatic manifestations of the multitude of non-rheumatic diseases. In particular, the final chapter of the differential diagnosis of localized pain conditions is an important practical guide helping to point the way from a presenting symptom to the correct diagnosis. A variety of comprehensive overviews and tables allow for quick orientation. Didactic references to important key messages (IMPORTANT), tips for the practical handling of diagnostics and differential diagnosis (TIP), and warnings about false diagnoses (WARNING) are included in order to provide instant help in the difficult field of the many pitfalls of rheumatological differential diagnoses.
The first English Ebook “Differential Diagnosis of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases” is addressed to world wide English speaking rheumatologists, postgraduate physicians (rheumatology, internal medicine, orthopedics), and other clinicians [orthopedists, internists, specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation, advanced practice professionals (nurse practitioners, physician assistants)] and should facilitate the evaluation of the variety of differential diagnostic possibilities in clinical practice.
Henning Zeidler, Sterling G. West, Beat Michel