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.

The risk of a flare increased by more than three-fold over 1 year when patients with longstanding rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in remission, or with stable low disease activity, stopped their anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment, Dutch researchers reported.

CBC…it’s easy as 123! The complete blood count (aka, CBC) is the most routine, but indispensable, of all medical assessments.

A recent report cites the frequency of musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound (US) education in US residency and fellowship training programs.

Whether lupus activity is ameliorated by end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or transplantation has been debated.

A prospective cohort of RA first-degree relatives were prospectively studied for genetic and environmental factors (smoking, body mass index, education, and parity) and RA-related autoantibodies that may influence future development of inflammatory joint symptoms over a 2 year&nbsp

The paradigm for DMARD use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) begins with DMARD monotherapy and then escalates to combination therapy with either DMARDs or a combination of conventional DMARD plus a biologic DMARD (bDMARD).

Recent Developments in Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis and Gout

The Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposia launched its 9th annual conference yesterday in Maui. Highlights of this meeting will be covered by RheumNow from Wednesday 2/10 till Saturday 2/13.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Year in Review

Once the clock runs out on teriparatide (TPTD or Forteo), what is the next best option?

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.

On Tuesday February 9th Celltrion presented its biosimilar developmental data to the FDA as they sought approval for their CT-P13 (called Inflectra), a biosimilar of infliximab (Remicade).

The arthritis advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is scheduled to meet today, February 9th to review the efficacy and safety of Celltrion's biosimilar form of infliximab (Remicade) that is currently marketed in other countries.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is commonly managed with methotrexate (MTX), with many pediatric rheumatologists preferring to use parenteral MTX for compliance and absorption reasons.

Cardiovascular events account for significant morbidity and mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other connnective tissue disorders (CTD). Investigators analyzed health records from a large U.S.

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

A Quebec administrative claims analysis examined the birth outcomes of women with a history of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who subsequently had a first-time birth (between 1983-2010).

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are said to have a neutral risk for neoplasia, but this is because they have a lower risk of colon cancer and breast cancer but a higher risk of lung cancer, lymphoma and skin cancers.

14-3-3η is a new serum assay that has utility in diagnosing and treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and early inflammatory arthritis (EIA).

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.