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Does Weight Loss Really Work in Gout?
A clinical trial has shown that obese gout patients will benefit from diet and lowered body weight, but weight loss was not associated with beneficial effects on serum urica acid (SUA), fatigue or pain.
Read ArticleBest of 2023: Cost-Effective Use of Biological and Targeted Synthetic DMARDs
An international task force of 13 European experts have developed evidence-based points to consider regarding the cost-effective use of biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) in the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases (including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis).
Read ArticleBest of 2023: 25 Great Women in Rheumatology
This week I reached out to many leaders in rheumatology and asked: who are the great women in rheumatology who should be recognized? This was prompted by a smart article in Annals of Rheumatic Disease written by Drs. Tuhina Neogi (Boston) and Nicola Dalbeth (N. Zealand), entitled "Where are the women ‘Heroes and Pillars of Rheumatology’?
Read ArticleICYMI: ACR Plenaries: Changing the Practice of Rheumatology
Over the years of navigating the annual meeting, I found the sessions with the most impact to my practice were the Plenary Sessions. During these sessions, the latest research is presented, new ideas are floated, and old myths debunked. Here are the top ACR2023 Plenary abstracts I found impactful for my practice.
Read ArticleEULAR 2023 Recommendations on Fatigue
Fatigue is highly prevalent in inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (I-RMDs) patients, is often unaddressed and yet it has significant effects on patient quality of life. A EULAR task force set out to develop recommendations for the management of fatigue in people with I-RMDs.
Read ArticlePlotting Future ACR Convergence Meetings (11.24.2023)
In this week's podcast, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the ACR Convergence 2023 meeting and proposes how to best learn at your next large medical meeting.
Read ArticleRheumatology Roundup - ACR 2023
Drs. Jack Cush and Arthur Kavanaugh discuss highlights and key takeaways from ACR 23.
Read ArticleDay 2 Report - ACR Plenaries: Changing the Practice of Rheumatology
Over the years of navigating the annual meeting, I found the sessions with the most impact to my practice were the Plenary Sessions. During these sessions, the latest research is presented, new ideas are floated, and old myths debunked. Here are the top ACR2023 Plenary abstracts I found impactful for my practice.
Read ArticleACR Reacts to 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) expressed concern that the conversion factor included in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) CY 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program final rule is insufficient to address rising inflation.
Read ArticleOptimal Management of de Quervain Tenosynovitis
The treatment of de Quervain tenosynovitis (DQT) was examined by systematic review in JAMA, suggesting that local (US-guided) corticosteroid injection plus a thumb spica immobilization was associated with significant pain-relieving and functional benefits.
Read ArticleSleep Apnea Smart Watches (10.13.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory approvals from this past week on RheumNow.com.
Read ArticleTNR: PMR Diagnosis and Monitoring
Panelists Dr. Claire Owen, Stephen Paget, Anisha Dua and Jack Cush discuss diagnosis and monitoring in PMR during this week's Tuesday Night Rheumatology.
Read ArticleRheumNow Podcast with Special Guest Dr. Michael Weinblatt (9.22.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush is joined by Dr. Michael Weinblatt as they discuss this weeks news and journal reports, including difficult RA, HLA typing and abatacept responses and new regulatory decisions.
Read ArticleRheumNow Podcast – with Special Guest Dr. Janet Pope (9.8.2023)
This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news with special guest, Dr. Janet Pope. They discuss "Not-non-Inferior", large scale genetic screening, Zoster risk w/ newer lupus drugs, tapering, RA referral problems and the TNR webinar session on "ORAL Surveillance Revisited".
Read ArticleWoeful Rheumatology Referrals
Early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis (IA) is rooted in patient (self or MD) referrals. A recent analysis shows only a minority of rheumatology referrals had inflammatory arthritis, with only 21% were seen within the first 6 weeks of symptoms.
Read ArticleDr. Naomi Rothfield (1929 – 2023)
Medical schools are rife with mentors. In my rheumatology fellowship I had tow great mentors, Peter Lipsky and Morris Ziff. They introduced me, and other young rheumatologists, to other rheumatology giants and mentors, including Dr. Naomi Rothfield - who they often spoke of as a leader worth following. She was engaging and inclusive. And she stood out as one of the few strong rheumatology department chairs in the 1980s.
Naomi F. Rothfield, MD, famed leader from the University of Connecticut, passed away on Sunday, July 2, 2023, at the age of 94.
WSJ: Do Younger or Older Doctors Get Better Results?
A recent Wall St. Journal essay (by AB Jena and C Worsham) suggests that a physician’s effectiveness has less to do with age than with how many patients they see and how well they stay up to date on research.
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