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Biologic Dose Cuts Feasible in RA
Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who achieved remission or low disease activity on biologic treatment were able to reduce the dose of their biologic, particularly if they were also on methotrexate, a retrospective study found.
Read ArticleRheum Views on the Upside and Downside of COVID-19
The world has been turned upside down in the last 6 weeks. Medicine and rheumatology have certainly changed – a frightening experience for Chicken Little, a disaster for the pessimist, a challenge for the pragmatist and an opportunity for the optimists amongst us. Last week I asked our audience to tell me their “upside or downside of COVID-19”. Read on to see how your peers have operating or thinking.
Read ArticleTNR Grand Rounds - Moving Forward with Telemedicine
Dr. Alvin Wells gives a primer on Telerheumatology and Telemedicine in the era of COVID-19. This 1 hour Grand Rounds Presentation includes a 30 minute lecture, followed by stimulating 30 minutes of Q&A with a rheumatology attendee audience.
Read ArticleTuesday Nite Rheumatology Grand Rounds - Febrile Disorders
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the appproach to evaluating fever in adults suspected of having a rheumatic disease, Stills disease or autoinflammatory conditions.
Read ArticleCOVID-19 Systemic Involvement
The presentations of the COVID-19 infection have been clearly chronicled with the worrisome onset of sore throat, dry cough, loss of smell and taste with fevers, myalgias, fatigue and the worrisome progression of pulmonary involvement in a minority. Lab findings may include a leukocytosis,
Read ArticleACR COVID-19 Guidance for Rheumatic Disease Patients
On April 11th, the ACR Board of Directors approved a COVID-19 guidance document written by an ACR task force charged with updating and clarifying recommendations for rheumatologists and rheumatic disease patient management during the current COVID-19 crisis.
Read ArticlePost 9/11 Autoimmune Disease Risk
The 9/11/01 terrorist attach on the World Trade Center (WTC) resulted in at least 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and caused at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage. Arthritis & Rheumatology reports that dust cloud exposure among responders and
Read ArticleTNR - Grand Rounds: Safety of Biologics & New Agents
On Tuesday, April 7th, RheumNow hosted its first Tuesday Nite Rheumatology webinar - kicking off a two-month series of Rheumatology Grand Rounds lectures. The first session featured Jack Cush, MD (UT Southwestern) who lectured on "The Safety of Biologics and Newer Agents".
Read ArticleNICE Guidelines on Managing Rheumatologic Conditions During COVID-19 Pandemic
On April 3rd, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK, published a rapid guideline for managing children and adults with rheumatological autoimmune, inflammatory and metabolic bone disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, while protecting staff from infection.
Read ArticleTeleRheumatology - a TED Talk by Alvin Wells, MD
RheumNow Live 2020 featured a series of shorter STEP (TED-like) talks. This one features Dr. Alvin Wells discussing the opportunities and new paradigms encumbent with telemedicine in rheumatology.
Read ArticleInfusions in the Time of Coronavirus
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. After years of bemoaning the challenges of telemedicine, our rheumatology clinic transition entirely to a remote clinic in the space of a week.
Read ArticleIn Lupus, Keep BP Below 130/80
Blood pressure should be maintained at a level below 130/80 mm Hg in all patients with lupus to lessen their likelihood of atherosclerotic vascular events, Canadian researchers asserted.
Read ArticleA Rheumatologist’s Tips: Telemedicine in 6 Easy Steps
Ready for telemedicine/telerheumatology?
Once you and your patient agree on a virtual visit, the following suggestions may help facilitate the interaction. If you have the ability and the capacity, record the visit.
The COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Registry
As the highly virulent SARS-CoV-2 spreads over the world, uncertainty and fear for our patients with rheumatic diseases mount.
Read ArticleRheumNow Podcast- Corona Increases RA Risk (3.13.20)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read ArticlePrimary Care Visits Decline 2008-2016
A national claims-based analysis has shown a consistent decline, by commercially insured adults (18-64 yrs), in primary care physician visits from 2008 to 2016; with nearly one half having no PCP visits in a given year by 2016.
Read ArticleRheumNow Podcast - RWCS Quick Hits (2.14.20)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the highlights from the 2020 RWCS meeting in Maui, Hawaii.
Read ArticleDMARD Inertia by Registry Rheumatologists
A registry study of metric use (primarily RAPID3 and CDAI) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients shows that, even in the face of moderate or high disease activity, treatment changes by rheumatologists were relatively low (35.6–54.6%).
Read ArticleBariatric Weight Loss Fails to Alter RA Risk
Obesity has been shown to be a risk factor for the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and also shown to affect outcomes by impairing responses to many DMARD therapies. A Swiss study of RA patients undergoing bariatric surgery failed to show that bariatric surgery and weight loss had any effect on the incidence of RA.
Read ArticleRheumNow Podcast- A Good First Impression (1.24.20)
Dr Jack Cush comments on this week's journal articles, reviews and studies.
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