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

As many parts of the country are lifting restrictions for businesses and allowing them to re-open, doctors are asking what they should do to keep themselves, their staff, and their patients safe.  As rheumatologists, we have vulnerable patients who are at high risk for complications from COVID19; many of our patients are older, immunosuppressed, and have underlying comorbidities such as lung disease, hypertension, chronic kidney disease,

Severe and fatal outcomes with coronavirus infection are often the result of the downstream damage that follows the viral infection. Rising high on the list of complications are the hematologic and vascular complications seen in severely affected patients, so much so that many centers are routinely anticoagulating hospitalized (but not ambulatory) COVID patients.

Modifiable lifestyle choices can impact long term health.  A recent study shows that usual and increased physical activity can results in less hospitalization amongst the the general population.

Dr. Len Calabrese from the Cleveland Clinic delivers this week's Tuesday Nite Rheumatology Grand Rounds, entitled "IL-6 in Health and Disease: Where Rheumatology Meets COVID-19". Dr. Calabrese provides a comprehensive review of IL-6 biology, and discusses IL-6 signaling, IL-6 roles in health, exercise, infection, innate and adaptive immunity as pertains to both rheumatology and the management of coronavirus infection.