Main description:

This 26th volume of the Evidence-based Clinical Chinese Medicine series provides a multi-faceted 'whole evidence' analysis of the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using integrative Chinese medicine. Beginning with an overview of how RA is conceptualised and managed in conventional medicine (Chapter 1), the authors summarise the syndrome differentiation and management of RA in contemporary Chinese medicine (Chapter 2), based on clinical guidelines and contemporary books. Chapter 3 provides detailed analyses of how RA and related conditions were treated with herbal medicine and acupuncture in past eras based on the classical Chinese medical literature. The subsequent chapters comprehensively review the current state of the clinical evidence for the integrative application of Chinese herbal medicines (Chapter 5), acupuncture therapies (Chapter 7), other Chinese medicine therapies (Chapter 8) and combination Chinese medicine therapies (Chapter 9), as well as analyse and evaluate the results of these clinical studies from an evidence-based medicine perspective. Chapter 6 reviews and summarises experimental evidence for the bioactivity of commonly used Chinese herbs and their constituent compounds. The outcomes of these analyses are summarised and discussed in Chapter 10. Implications for clinical practice and future research are identified. This book informs clinicians and students in the fields of integrative medicine and Chinese medicine regarding contemporary practice and the current evidence base for Chinese medicine therapies for managing RA. It enables clinicians in making evidence-based decisions in patient care. It also provides researchers with a comprehensive survey of the state of the field that can inform future directions for clinical and experimental studies.