The perioperative management of patients with rheumatic diseases who are due to undergo surgical procedures presents unique challenges, such as the increased cardiovascular risk associated with these diseases, the effect on infection risk associated with drugs used for their treatment, and the altered coagulation state associated with antiphospholipid antibodies. In this Review, the authors present a decision-support system intended to aid the rheumatologist faced with this clinical scenario.
- Bharath M. Akkara Veetil
- Tim Bongartz