Despite striking improvements in survival among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in recent decades -- from 1-year survival of less than 50% before the introduction of prednisone to 90% today in most specialized treatment centers -- many challenges remain in this perplexing, multisystem disease.

In 2019 there have been numerous reports of higher drug pricing for many drugs.  Yesterday it was reported that the price of insulin drugs have more than doubled from 2012 to 2016. Reuters reports that in the United States, the pricing on more than 250 prescription drugs have gone up.

It’s hard work wearing a crown. The dermatologists have been dethroned as Medscape’s happiest specialty after years at the top. While studies only detail that we are the most satisfied outside of work, I argue we are the happiest working, too. With an N of 1, here are my 10 observations.

Alcohol, smoking and obesity have all been shown to influence the risk and activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and may also influence response to therapy. This study assesssed whether smoking would influence response to rituximab (RTX) in RA. 

Using data from 5,467 adults in the US in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 2007-2016, researchers found that the prevalence of gout and hyperuricemia has remained at 3.9%, having doubled from the 1960s to the 1990s, corresponding to an estimated 9.2 million adults with gout in 2015-2016.