All News
TNF Inhibition and Heart Failure
Clinicians often face the issue of using a TNF inhibitor (TNFi) in patients with heart failure or cardiac disease. Here are the facts and data necessary to make a cogent decision to use or avoid TNFi.
Read Article
Early Aggressive Treatment of Elderly RA Results in Less Joint Surgery
Two population-based cohorts from Ontario (ON) and Quebec (QC) were used to assess if early DMARD influenced the need for joint replacement surgery among elderly patients with incident rheumatoid arthritis.
Read Article
Less Treatment, Responses and Safety in Elder-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis
A recent review compared elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) to those with younger-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA) to assess treatment responses and safety issues with biologics and DMARDS. EORA is generally defined as the onset of rheumatoid arthritis after age 60 years.
Read Article
Tools, Brains & Organizers for Your Phone
Most people can’t live without their cell phone. But does the device define the modern medicine man and woman?
Read Article
Oral Prednisolone and NSAIDs Equipotent in Acute Gout
An emergency department based study evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral prednisolone versus indomethacin in 416 patients with acute gout in a multicenter, double-blind, randomized trial.
Read Article
Curbside Consults - February 2016
The following is a collection of cases presented to me by rheumatology colleagues. Each has a challenging therapeutic or safety issue. Answers are based on experience with references from literature and guidelines.
Read Article
Challenges of Dermatomyositis Progress
In the current issue of Lancet, Pierre Miossec discusses the challenges of studying and managing juvenile dermatomyositis and, specifically, the
Read Article
Pulmonary Hypertension Earlier and More Severe in Men with Scleroderma
Pulmonary hypertension is an uncommon complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and historically thought to slowly evolve in those with limited scleroderma over many years.
Read Article
Only Two-Thirds of US Adults Get Adequate Sleep
Optimal sleep duration for adults is suppose to be 7 or more hours of sleep each night. Shorter sleep duration (7 hours per night) is associated with greater likelihoods of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, frequent mental distress, and death.
Read Article
CBC Hidden Pearls
CBC…it’s easy as 123! The complete blood count (aka, CBC) is the most routine, but indispensable, of all medical assessments.
Read Article
Ultrasound Training Escalates in the United States
A recent report cites the frequency of musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound (US) education in US residency and fellowship training programs.
Read Article
Lupus Flares After Renal Transplant
Whether lupus activity is ameliorated by end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or transplantation has been debated.
Read Article
RWCS 2016 - Updates in AS, PsA and Lupus
Update on Ankylosing Spondylitis and Spondyloarthritis
Read Article
Relapse Common in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis
Overall survival and survival free of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have both improved significantly over time in patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), but the risk of relapse has not.
Read Article
What To Do After Teriparatide?
Once the clock runs out on teriparatide (TPTD or Forteo), what is the next best option?
Read Article
Rheumatoid Modern Management is Better but More Costly
The mantra of rheumatologists worldwide is to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) earlier and more aggressively. While referral of early RA patients has improved, there is little data demonstrating that more aggressive treatment works or is cost effective.
Read Article
Parenteral Methotrexate Intolerance is High in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is commonly managed with methotrexate (MTX), with many pediatric rheumatologists preferring to use parenteral MTX for compliance and absorption reasons.
Read Article
Young Lupus Patients Have Higher Mortality Risk
A retrospective study examined mortality rates by comparing 2740 UK lupus patients who were matched 1:4 with controls from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink between 1999 and 2012. (Citation source http://buff.ly/1nJWKIT)
Read Article
Should You Avoid Pneumococcal Vaccine in CAPS and Behcet's Patients
Althought EULAR currently recommends the pneumococcal vaccine be given to patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the vaccine in patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs, a recent brief report suggests it be
Read Article
Comorbidities Start Early in Rheumatoid Arthritis
A Northern Sweden early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cohort of 950 patients was enrolled starting in 1995. A validated questionnaire at RA onset (T0) and after 5 years (T5) after enrollment. Currently, 726 of these have had RA for ≥5 years.
Read Article
