News
Ethnicity Matters in Sjogren's Syndrome
Among the ethnically diverse residents of Manhattan, certain groups had markedly different incidence rates of primary Sjogren's syndrome, a retrospective study found.
Opioid Aversion is Augmenting Spinal Steroid Injections
As physicians turn away from opioids, are they resorting to options that may also be unsafe?
The New York Times reports that some physicians are using the anti-inflammatory drug, Depo-Medrol, for intraspinal injections to manage painful spinal and perispinal disorders.
IL-1 Suppression May Improve Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Interleukin-1 (IL-1) suppression helped reverse symptoms of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) for one patient in a case study that may implicate inflammation in the development of the condition.
Company Payments to Rheumatologists, Specialists Linked to Increased ACTH Prescriptions
Despite its exorbitant price tag and paucity of supportive clinical evidence, ACTH (corticotropin) sales have increased in the United States. A recent JAMA article examined its use by specialists and found that those who prescribe ACTH (including rheumatologists, nephrologists, neurologists) received corticotropin-related payments from the products sole manufacturer, Mallinckrod.
Statin Associated with an Increase in Inflammatory Myopathy
JAMA Internal Medicine reports that exposure to statin medications may be linked to histologically confirmed idiopathic inflammatory myositis.
Type I Interferon Drives Photosensitivity in Cutaneous Lupus
Kahlenberg and coworkers have reported in ARD that interferon kappa (IFN-κ) is a key regulator of type I interferon (IFN) photosensitive responses in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE).
Veterans Administration Shuns Marijuana as an Option
Cannabis therapy is legal in 30 states in the US, and soon to be legal in Canada and Great Britian, but the US Veterans Administration continues to reject medical marijuana as a therapeutic option - even in states where it is approved.
The Fate of Palindromic Rheumatism
Palindromic rheumatism (PR) is an intermittent inflammatory arthropathy with episodes of arthritis and/or periarticular inflammation that wax and wane over time. It is thought that up to one-third of such patients may go on to develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The RheumNow Week in Review – Lupus in the News (7.27.18)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Latin American Clinical Practice Guidelines for Lupus
The Annals of Rheumatic Disease have published the recently developed Latin American clinical practice guidelines for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) addressing the best pharmacologic interventions for musculoskeletal, mucocutaneous, kidney, cardiac, pulmonary, neuropsychiatric, hemat
Minimal Disease Activity: The Goal in PsA
The majority of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who achieved a state of minimal disease activity (MDA) after 6 months of treatment with adalimumab (Humira) maintained that response through 24 months, a large observational study found.
Steroids vs. NSAIDs in Treating Acute Gout
Gout, the ancient disease of kings is usually treated with the ancient (and costly) drug colchicine, often without consideration of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) or corticosteroids.
Consensus Guidelines for Methotrexate in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
A consensus panel was convened to develop consensus-based clinical and therapeutic recommendations for the use of methotrexate (MTX) in the management of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) patients.
Erectile Dysfunction in Gout
The Journal of Rheumatology reports a population-based study demonstrating that gout is associated with an increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) suggesting that hyperuricemia and inflammation may be independent risk factors for ED.