TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Approach to Articular and Musculoskeletal Disorders A1 - Cush, John J. A2 - Loscalzo, Joseph A2 - Fauci, Anthony A2 - Kasper, Dennis A2 - Hauser, Stephen A2 - Longo, Dan A2 - Jameson, J. Larry Y1 - 2022 N1 - T2 - Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21e AB - Musculoskeletal complaints account for >315 million outpatient visits per year and >20% of all outpatient visits in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 58.5 million (or 1 in 4 adults) of the U.S. population has physician-diagnosed arthritis. While many patients will have self-limited conditions requiring minimal evaluation, reassurance, and symptomatic therapy, specific musculoskeletal presentations or their persistence may herald a more serious condition that requires further evaluation or laboratory testing to establish a diagnosis. The goal of the musculoskeletal evaluation is to formulate a differential diagnosis that leads to an accurate diagnosis and timely therapy, while avoiding excessive diagnostic testing and unnecessary treatment (Table 370-1). There are several urgent conditions that must be diagnosed promptly to avoid damage and morbidity. These “red flag” diagnoses include septic arthritis, acute crystal-induced arthritis (e.g., gout), and fracture. Each may be suspected by an acute onset and monarticular or focal musculoskeletal pain. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/03/29 UR - accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1190523370 ER -