The drug talarozole – which increases retinoic acid – could be a promising new treatment for hand osteoarthritis.

Patients and their family for years have been inviting me to their dinners, picnics, baptisms, anniversaries, and funerals. I always felt somewhat awkward when asked to participate in a patient’s life outside of my office or the hospital setting and usually will decline politely. I tell myself I should not blur the lines between patient care and friendship. I broke this rule recently.

Undifferentiated arthritis (UA) is common in medical practice and many advocate early use of DMARDs; yet a recent study shows that despite DMARD use, UA patients do not fair well with this approach.