New textbook in rheumatology: A Norwegian contribution to medical education

The Norwegian professional environment in rheumatology is at the forefront of research and treatment in the world. In the new textbook, Rheumatology, 77 experts from 17 different disciplines share their insights. The book is a comprehensive resource on inflammatory rheumatic diseases, developed for medical students, but also valuable for other healthcare professionals.

The textbook, Rheumatology, is available from 29 August 2024.

Rheumatology, a rapidly developing subject

It has been 11 years since the last Norwegian textbook in rheumatology was published. Since then, the subject has developed rapidly, and the need for a comprehensive overview of the latest knowledge has increased. The new curriculum offers up-to-date knowledge that reflects current practice, well rooted in the Norwegian professional environment. The content is carefully quality-assured by 74 co-authors from all the country's health regions, which gives the work a broad and solid professional basis.

Three main authors

The main authors behind the curriculum, Jens Vikse (lecturer, University of Stavanger), Espen A. Haavardsholm (professor, University of Oslo) and Øyvind Molberg (professor, University of Oslo) are all engaged in teaching related to professional studies in medicine, as well as for doctors in specialization in rheumatology.

A comprehensive, educational textbook

With its 400 pages, richly illustrated with photographs, X-rays and drawings, the book offers an in-depth understanding of rheumatic diseases. It explains how these diseases can affect different parts of the body, such as the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, kidneys and nervous system. The authors have emphasized making the material easily accessible, so that readers can easily understand how these diseases develop and affect the body.

- We are proud to be able to offer this book as a valuable tool for medical students and healthcare professionals. Like all other disciplines, we must ensure that we recruit future colleagues to our profession. Our goal is for the book to make the subject more visible, accessible and understandable, and to inspire more people to delve into rheumatology, says Jens Vikse, one of the main authors.  

He explains that updated Norwegian-language textbooks are important, as they reflect Norwegian treatment practices and preserve the Norwegian professional language.

Students learn best in their mother tongue

Professors Molberg and Haavardsholm teach on the medical course at the University of Oslo. They both feel that many students learn best from texts written in Norwegian. They agree that it has been rewarding to contribute to an updated, comprehensive Norwegian rheumatology resource for future healthcare personnel.

Digital resources

Rheumatology is part of a larger learning project, which also includes a podcast, https://shows.acast.com/revmatology and future instructional videos. They will be available on the website revmabok.no.

For further information or questions, please contact Jens Vikse at This email address is protected from programs that collect email addresses. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About the book

• Pages: 400
• Language: Bokmål/Nynorsk
• ISBN: 9788215068589
• Release date: 29/08/2024

More about the book: https://www.universitetsforlaget.no/laerebok-i-revmatologi

The main authors

Jens Vikse

Doctor specializing in rheumatology at Stavanger University Hospital. PhD student at the University of Bergen. Lecturer and subject manager for immunology at the University of Stavanger. Vikse runs the podcast "Rheumatology", which is supplementary material to this textbook. He has also authored the textbook "IMMU: Textbook in rheumatology", and it is referred to immu.no for more information. Vikse holds a number of national and international positions. He is head of LIS in rheumatology, Norwegian representative in the European association for junior doctors in rheumatology (EMEUNET) and head of junior researchers in the EULAR study group on lung involvement in rheumatic diseases .

Espen A. Haavardsholm

Professor/head of department at the University of Oslo (UiO), head of research/senior physician in rheumatology at Diakonhjemmet hospital and head of the Research Center for Treatment in Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Diseases (REMEDY). Haavardsholm has been involved in teaching at many levels, including bachelor's and master's level, specialist courses in rheumatology, the professional study in medicine and as a supervisor for a number of PhD candidates. In his scientific career, Haavardsholm has particularly focused on multi-centre studies within treatment strategies for rheumatic diseases, with publications in e.g. BMJ, The Lancet and JAMA. He is currently president of the Scandinavian Society of Rheumatology and board member of the Norwegian Rheumatology Association.

Øyvind Molberg

Professor at the University of Oslo (UiO) and senior physician in rheumatology at Oslo University Hospital (OUS). Involved in education at all levels, with responsibility for rheumatology teaching on the medical studies at UiO, management of courses for the specialty in rheumatology and supervision of students and around ten PhD candidates. Many years of experience as a manager, both at OUS and UiO. Scientific background from human immunology, but from 2010 led and further developed OUS's rheumatology research, with major investments in clinically oriented projects, and with status as a partner in REMEDY. Molberg has overall responsibility for the section's three large research groups, all of which are mainly externally funded.

The co-authors

Trond Mogens Aaløkken

• Senior physician, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 4. Imaging studies 9. Pulmonary manifestations in rheumatic disease

Anna-Birgitte Aga

• Senior physician and senior researcher, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Senior researcher, REMEDY - Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 17. Rheumatoid arthritis 51. Children's rheumatology

Helena Andersson

• Section leader and senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 27. Connective tissue diseases: an overview 31. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

Marianne Angelshaug

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Martina Hansens Hospital
• Chapters: 46. Recurrent polychondritis

Lucius I. Bader

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Haukeland University Hospital
• Chapters: 5. Immunosuppressive treatment 8. Joint pain 38. IgA vasculitis

Gunnstein Backland

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Northern Norway
• Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT Norway's Arctic University
• Chapters: 18. Spondyloarthritis: an overview 19. Axial spondyloarthritis

Livia Bajelan

• Senior physician, Section for Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Oslo University Hospital HF
• Chapters: 3. Laboratory investigations

Inger Jorid Berg

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Postdoctoral fellow, REMEDY – Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 19. Axial spondyloarthritis

Helle Bitter

• Senior physician, Rheumatology Section, Sørlandet Hospital HF, Kristiansand
• Chapters:
  1. Rheumatology: an overview

Tove Tveitan Borgen

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Vestre Viken HF, Drammen Hospital
• Chapters: 7. Comorbidity

Ida K. Bos-Haugen

• Doctor in specialisation, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Senior researcher, REMEDY - Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 26. Osteoarthritis

Lena Kristin Brekke

• Senior physician and postdoctoral fellow, Department of Rheumatology, Haugesund Sanitetsforening's Rheumatism Hospital
• Chapters: 34. Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis

Kaspar Broch

• Senior physician, Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 10. Heart infections in rheumatic disease

Ellen Elisabeth Brodin

• Head of department and senior physician, Department of Blood Diseases, Akershus University Hospital
• Chapters: 44. Antiphospholipid syndrome

Kristine Bø

• Senior physician, Section for skin diseases, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 13. Skin manifestations

Pernille Bøyesen

• Senior physician and postdoctoral fellow, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 48. Autoinflammatory diseases

Asad Ali Chaudhary

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 39. Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis 40. Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis

Asbjørn Christophersen

• Doctor in specialization, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 2. Immunology: an overview

Håvard Dale

• Section chief, Section for orthopedic infections, Orthopedic department, Haukeland University Hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Department 1, University of Bergen
• Chapters: 25. Infectious arthritis

Andreas Diamantopoulos

• Senior physician, Department of Infectious Diseases, Akershus University Hospital
• Chapters: 4. Imaging studies 34. Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis

Phuong Phuong Diep

• Specialist in pulmonary medicine, Pulmonary Department, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• PhD scholar, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 9. Pulmonary manifestations in rheumatic disease

Jon Roger Owned

• Senior physician, Eye Department, Oslo University Hospital HF, Ullevål Hospital
• Chapters: 14. Eye manifestations in rheumatic disease

Karen Minde Fagerli

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Postdoctoral fellow, REMEDY – Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 18. Spondyloarthritis: an overview 20. Psoriatic arthritis

Bjørg-Tilde Svanes Fevang

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Haukeland University Hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Department 2, University of Bergen
• Chapters:
  1. Rheumatology: an overview
  2. Arthritic diseases: an overview
  3. Rheumatoid arthritis

Bente Fjeld

• Senior physician, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital HF
• PhD scholar, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 3. Laboratory investigations

Berit Flatø

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 51. Pediatric rheumatology

Håvard Fretheim

• Doctor in specialization, Department of Rheumatology, Rheumatism Hospital Lillehammer

Guro Løvik Goll

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Senior researcher, REMEDY - Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health and Society, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 2. Immunology: an overview 3. Immunosuppressive treatment

Birgir Gudbrandsson

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 35. Takayasu's arteritis

Einar Gude

• Section chief, Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 10. Heart infections in rheumatic disease

Ragnar Gunnarsson

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 32. Mixed connective tissue disease 37. ANCA-associated vasculitides 39. Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis 40. Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis

Erik Haavardsholm

• Senior physician, Department of Radiology, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 4. Image studies

Hilde Berner Hammer

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Senior researcher, REMEDY - Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 4. Imaging studies 8. Joint pain 22. Crystal arthritis: an overview 23. Gout 24. Calcium pyrophosphate arthritis

Glenn Haugeberg

• Section leader and senior physician, Rheumatology Section, Sørlandet Hospital HF, Kristiansand
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU
• Chapters:
  1. Rheumatology: an overview

Marte Schrumpf Heiberg

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Senior researcher, REMEDY - Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 49. Rheumatology and malignancy

Siri Opsahl Hetlevik

• Senior physician and postdoctoral fellow, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 32. Mixed connective tissue disease

Anna-Maria Hoffmann-Vold

• Senior physician and senior researcher, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Head of Translational Research, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
• Chapters: 9. Pulmonary manifestations in rheumatic disease 30. Systemic sclerosis

Christian Høili

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Østfold HF Hospital, Moss
• Chapters: 25. Infectious arthritis

Eirik Ikdahl

• Doctor in specialisation, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Postdoctoral fellow, REMEDY – Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 7. Comorbidity

Karen Agnete Irgens

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Ålesund Hospital
• Chapters: 47. Eosinophilic fasciitis

Trond Geir Jenssen

• Senior physician, Section for Renal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 11. Renal manifestations in rheumatic disease

Lars F. Karoliussen

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 25. Infectious arthritis

Karin Kilian

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Clinical fellow, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 37. ANCA-associated vasculitides

 Ingvild Kjeken

• Senior researcher, REMEDY – Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal disorders, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, OsloMet
• Chapters: 6. Non-drug treatment

Emily Langballe

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• PhD scholar, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 9. Pulmonary manifestations in rheumatic disease

Karoline Lerang

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 28. Systemic lupus erythematosus

Vibke Lilleby

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 48. Autoinflammatory diseases 51. Children's rheumatology

Even Lillejordet

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• PhD-scholar, REMEDY – Research Center for Treatment in Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Disorders, Diakonhjemmet Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health and Society, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 18. Sarcoidoses 20. Polymyositis and dermatomyositis 28. Systemic lupus erythematosus 36. Polyarteritis nodosa

Olay Lutro

• Senior physician, Diagnostic Centre, Stavanger University Hospital
• Chapters: 25. Infectious arthritis

Tor Magne Madland

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Haukeland University Hospital
• Chapters: 20. Psoriatic arthritis

Øyvind Midtvedt

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 10. Heart infections in rheumatic disease 15. Raynaud's phenomenon 35. Systemic sclerosis 43. IgG4-related disease

Maria Dahl Mjaavatten

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 25. Infectious arthritis

Marthe T. Mæhlen

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 42. Behçet's syndrome

Gudrun E. Norby

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 28. Systemic lupus erythematosus

Kristine R. Nordén

• PhD-scholar, REMEDY – Research Center for Treatment in Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Diseases, Diakonhjemmet Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health and Society, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 6. Non-drug treatment

Katrine Brække Norheim

• Head of Department, Department of Rheumatology, Stavanger University Hospital
• Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Department 2, University of Bergen
• Chapters: 29. Sjögren's syndrome

Tone Wikene Nystad

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Haukeland University Hospital
• Chapters: 22. Crystal arthritis: an overview 23. Gout 24. Calcium pyrophosphate arthritis 25. Infectious arthritis

Øyvind Palm

• Former senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 29. Sjögren's syndrome 36. Polyarteritis nodosa

Sell ​​Aarrestad Provan

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Senior researcher, REMEDY – Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal disorders, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Innlandet University College
• Chapters: 7. Comorbidity

Melinda Raki

• Senior physician, Department of Pathology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 11. Renal manifestations in rheumatic disease

Mona-Elisabeth Rootwelt-Revheim

• Head of department and senior physician, Intervention Center, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 4. Image studies

Tore Salte

• Senior physician, Diagnostic Center and Rheumatology Department, Stavanger University Hospital
• Chapters: 25. Infectious arthritis

Helga Sanner

• Senior physician, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Professor, Department of Health Sciences, Oslo Nye Høyskole
• Chapters: 51. Pediatric rheumatology

Anne Regine Skogen

• Senior physician, Section for Pediatric Ophthalmology, Eye Department, Oslo University Hospital HF, Ullevål Hospital
• Chapters: 51. Pediatric rheumatology

Carina Gøtestam Skorpen

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, Ålesund Hospital
• Postdoctoral fellow, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Sciences, NTNU
• Chapters: 50. Pregnancy and rheumatic disease

Marit Dahl Solbu

• Senior physician, Renal Section, University Hospital of Northern Norway
• Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, UIT Norwegian Arctic University
• Chapters: 38. IgA vasculitis 40. Anti-GBM disease

Anne-Lene Sand-Svartrud

• Postdoctoral fellow, REMEDY – Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Chapters: 6. Non-drug treatment

Silje Watterdal Syversen

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Senior researcher, REMEDY - Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health and Society, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 25. Infectious arthritis

Stig Tengesdal

• Doctor in specialization, Section for Rheumatology, Unit for Adult Rheumatology, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• Chapters: 34. Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis

Till Uhlig

• Senior physician, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Senior researcher, REMEDY - Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 22. Crystal arthritis: an overview 23. Gout 24. Calcium pyrophosphate arthritis

Christian Alexander Vedeler

• Senior physician, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Department 1, University of Bergen
• Chapters: 12. Manifestations from the nervous system in rheumatic disease

Marianne Wallenius

• Senior physician, Department of Rheumatology, St. Olav's hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Sciences, NTNU
• Chapters: 27. Connective tissue diseases: an overview 44. Antiphospholipid syndrome 50. Pregnancy and rheumatic disease

Erik Pareli Wåland

• Senior physician, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital HF, Rikshospitalet
• PhD scholar, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 3. Laboratory investigations

Nina Østerås

• Senior researcher, REMEDY – Research center for treatment in rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, Clinic for rheumatology, outpatient clinic and research, Diakonhjemmet hospital
• Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health and Society, University of Oslo
• Chapters: 6. Non-drug treatment

The cover of the Rheumatology textbook