DRESS Trial Shows TNFi Dose Reduction is Possible - Without Major Flares

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Can TNF inhibitor therapy be withdrawn in RA patients who are in remission?  The DRESS trial reports the results of randomized trial of 180 RA patients taking either etanercept or adalimumab. Patients were randomly assigned to either usual care (no dose reduction) or a stepwise increase

May is Arthritis Awareness Month

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May is Arthritis Awareness Month. Arthritis affects an estimated 52.5 million U.S. adults, is a common comorbidity among those with multiple chronic conditions, and is a leading cause of disability in the United States.

Diet, Exercise and Glucosamine Fail to Prevent OA in Overweight Females

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An at-risk population of 407 middle-aged overweight women (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2) without clinical signs of knee osteoarthritis were prospectively studied for 2.5 years and randomized to receive either glucosamine or diet and exercise in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Calprotectin as a Biomarker in RA

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Calprotectin a major S100 protein, produced by leukocytes is a potential new biomarker for use as it may be more sensitive disease activity changes than conventional acute-phase proteins.

Chronobiology: When Will It's Time Come?

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Morning stiffness is a historic feature of RA and may be related to prolonged inactivity or the chronobiology of rheumatoid inflammation. Chronobiology and chronopharmacology are receiving consideration in investigation and RA trial design. Researchers from Maynooth, Berlin, Vienna and

Daily Aspirin Taken by More Than Half of Older U.S. Adults

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Despite guidelines stating that low dose aspirin is indicated for secondary prevention of MI and stroke, a recent survey shows that over half of US adults take daily low dose aspirin.

Review of Bisphosphonates and Atypical femoral fractures

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The Journal For Nurse Practitioners provides a succinct overview of atypical femoral fractures and bisphosphonates.   These popular agents account for 14 million prescriptions annually in the United States.

Lyme disease: recent advances and perspectives

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Lyme disease remains endemic in many parts of North America and continues as a public health concern. This article reviews endemic and nonedemic areas, the lack of an available Lyme vaccine, immune pathways and what is known about the vector and bug.

HLA-DRB1 Alleles Augment RA Severity and TNF Inhibitor Responses

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The HLA-DRB1 haplotype is a known risk factor for RA.

Preventing Hep B Reactivation Due to Immunosuppressive Drug Treatments

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Reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection can have devastating consequences, especially amongst those patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

Preventing Hepatitis B Reactivation Due to Immunosuppressive Drug Treatments

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Reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection can have devastating consequences, especially amongst those patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy.

A different point of view on RA

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Professor Fergus Shanahan, a consultant gastroenterologist and professor of medicine at University College Cork, has an issue with the label “auto-immune” disease being applied to conditions such as RA, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, asthma and type 1 diabetes.

FDA Enforces New Drug Safety Labeling for Pregnant Women

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The traditional FDA pregnancy risk categories (A, B, C, D, X) have been scrapped in favor of a new labeling mandate called the pregnancy and lactation labeling rule (PLLR). This change has been under consideration at the FDA for nearly 2 years and was brought about by the belief that the old

The Science and Faith of Herpes Zoster Management

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RA Associated With Higher 90-Day Hospital Readmission Rates Compared to OA After Hip or Knee Arthroplasty

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Using administrative claims data, Doctor Jas Singh and colleagues examined readmission rates after hip or knee replacement surgery. RA patients had a higher rate of readmission (8.5% vs 6.7%) compared to OA.

CKD is a gout risk factor

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Impaired renal function is a known primary contributor to hyperuricemia and risk of gout.

New CPT Chronic Disease Management Code 99490

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The new Medicare Physician Fee Schedule will allow for reimbursement for chronic care management services (CCM).

Osteoporosis predisposes to higher risk of sudden deafness

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Patients with osteoporosis had a significantly higher risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) than those without osteoporosis, according to the first and largest Asian population-based study to demonstrate a relationship between the two conditions.

Patient's fat cells transplanted to treat OA may be effective

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Those who suffer from OA may one day have a new and effective cell therapy, thanks to a team of Czech researchers who studied the effectiveness of using an OA patient’s own adipose (fat) cells in a unique transplant therapy aimed at reducing the symptoms of this prevalent and difficult to treat c

Poisoning deaths involving opioid analgesics - NY State

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Between 1999 and 2013 opiate-related deaths nearly quadrupled, with the death rate rising from 1.4 to 5.1 deaths per 100,000. These alarming statistics have lead to greater regulation and oversight to opiate use.