The impact of systemic glucocorticoid exposure on fracture risk among new-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was studied using administrative claims data detailing the treatments and outcomes of 42,127 newly diagnosed RA patients (between 2005-2012).

Sjogren's syndrome is a highly prevalent disorder, affecting women ten times more frequently than men.  Although the typical onset follows menopause, a minority of women may develop primary Sjogren’s syndrome (pSS) during child-bearing years.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, reports and highlights from EULAR and the last 2 weeks from RheumNow.com.

Recognizing that formalized training in telemedicine is not widely offered to physicians-in-training, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted policy during its Annual Meeting aimed at ensuring medical students and residents learn how to use telemedicine in clinical practice.

The combined analysis of 130,315 rheumatoid arthritis patients from 11 European registries did not reveal an association between invasive (malignant) melanoma and the use of biologic therapies.

Men and women with arthritis have nearly a two-fold higher prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts than those without arthritis, according to a recent study from the University of Toronto.

After several months’ hiatus, I am back and writing about my recent trip to London. My past blogs centered on wine from my rheumatology-related trips and experiences. Moving forward I'm adding a culinary dimension; hence, it will be Wine, Food and the Rheumatologist. My bone fides? Well, I like to eat, that is for sure - but more than that, I like to cook. 

Blocking the type 1 interferon receptor with the monoclonal antibody anifrolumab shows promise as a treatment for moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a phase IIb study presented here.

Prescription of long-acting opioids for chronic noncancer pain was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, including deaths from causes other than overdose, compared with anticonvulsants or cyclic antidepressants, according to a study appearing in the June 14 issue of JAMA.

No increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease has been seen among patients with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis treated with secukinumab (Cosentyx) in the clinical trial programs for this interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor, a researcher reported here.

A retrospective observational study of over 6000 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), followed in the Kaiser-Permanente system, has shown a greater need for parathyroidectomy than was previously thought.

Lancet has published the results of the U-ACT-early study assessing the efficacy of monotherapy versus combination therapy using an interleukin-6 receptor-blocking monoclonal antibody, tocilizumab, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The NEJM today published the results of two phase-3 trials (UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3) demonstrating the efficacy of ixekizumab (a monoclonal antibody against interleukin-17A) in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. In these 60-week trials, ixekizumab was found to be superior to both placebo and etanercept. 

The results of the PRAIRI study were presented today at EULAR 2016 in London. These early findings suggest that individuals "at-risk" to develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may benefit from a short course of intravenously rituximab therapy.

JAMA has reported the results of an 18-year National Inpatient Sample, a database of US non-federal hospitalizations. They examined the rate of hospitalizations for gout and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and demonstrated a steady decline in RA, but a growing number of gout hospitalizations. There were 254,982 hospitalizations for gout and 323,649 hospitalizations for RA between 1993 and 2011.