Introduction

The 45th Annual McGuire Lecture Series has been devoted to the subject of Immunology and the Rheumatic Diseases. In this two-day period, 22 outstanding physicians in the field of immunology and rheumatology brought an up-to-date overall concept in the field of rheumatic diseases. Subjects included not only aspects of pathogenesis but also modern laboratory methods in the diagnosis of various connective tissues diseases. The remedial surgical approaches for prevention of pain and disability in rheumatoid arthritis were discussed from a practical viewpoint