Musculoskeletal disorders: an introduction

Abstract Musculoskeletal disorders remain the most common cause of physical disability in an ageing population. The importance of increased cardiovascular disease in this group is being recognized. The dramatic therapeutic impact of the cytokine specific inhibitors in the treatment of inflammatory joint disease has been balanced by the controversy over the potential cardiovascular toxicity of the newer selective Cox-2 inhibitors. Ultrasound is rapidly emerging as a valuable diagnostic tool and circulating anti-cyclical citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies seem a promising early diagnostic and prognostic test in rheumatoid arthritis.