Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) imparts a significant disabilty and quality of life (QoL) limitations worsened by aging, but also by malnutrition.

Patients with longstanding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were considered frail were more likely to accrue disease damage over time, a secondary analysis of data from a Chicago lupus cohort found.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has published their Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee (Non-Arthroplasty); updating 19 of the 29 evidence-based recommendations and focuses on nonsurgical treatmentss to provide pain and patient function.

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that obesity rates have risen in the USA during the pandemic. Sixteen states have obesity rates of 35% or higher - that's four more than last year, adding Delaware, Iowa, Ohio and Texas to the list.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com

Today, CDC issued an urgent health advisory to increase COVID-19 vaccination among people who are pregnant, recently pregnant (including those who are lactating), who are trying to become pregnant now, or who might become pregnant in the future to prevent serious illness, deaths, and adverse

Gout is a common comorbidity amongst those with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with the added challenge of choosing best therapies in the setting of declining renal function.  A systematic literature review notes significant deficiencies regarding the efficacy and safety outcom

A two-dimensional/Doppler echocardiography of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) detected premature, clinically quiescent diastolic function.

A randomized controlled trial in gout patients has shown that starting febuxostat during an acute gout flare was without ill-effects and did not prolong the gouty attack.

A population based Swedish study of birth records shows that antibiotic exposure in first three years of life to be associated with a future risk of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), although infections during fetal life or childhood did not increase risk of JIA.

A longitudinal study from Iceland shows an increasing number of native joint infections (NJI), with iatrogenic, postarthroscopic infections being of particular concern.

A consensus report from a multinational group of 91 scientists, clinicians and public health professionals alarmed the medical world last week as they suggest the use of acetaminophen (paracetamol) during pregnancy may have hazardous developmental effects on the fetus.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had a history of cancer did not have an increased risk of new or recurrent cancers if treated with biologic therapies, a meta-analysis found.

Almost three years ago to the day, I did a podcast entitled, "I wanna new drug." As I go over this week's podcast, I want to say it again. I want a new drug safe enough to use during pregnancy, for PMR, for GVHD, and more. I'm going to cover these, and other topics including lupus, COVID breakthrough infections, and statin use and the risk of RA, as I review the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.

Pooled analysis of the DISCOVER-1 and DISCOVER-2 trials have shown that guselkumab, an IL-23 inhibitor, was effective and safe in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with axial involvement and imaging-confirmed sacroiliitis.

This is the #1 question I get from new consults: “How did I get arthritis?”

But as the aching are asking, they are really thinking these joint complaints must be due to something.

A small, single-center cohort analysis of difficult, refractory systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients showed that treatment with tocilizumab (TCZ), an interleukin-6 inhibitor, resulted in significant improvement in joint and skin involvement, regardless of SSc disease duration or subtype. 

Do you know what’s in short supply? Trust, pediatric rheumatologists, and drugs. Since the onset of the pandemic, numerous drug shortages have affected rheumatology, including sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, and now, tocilizumab.

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) patients tend to be older than those with idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM), but the scope of disease beyond their myositis is not appreciated.