Articles By Jack Cush, MD
Changing Patterns of Drug Use in Pregnant Rheumatic Patients: Steroids Down, Biologics Up
Desai and coworkers analyzed public and private insurance claims data (2001-2012) to assess patterns of drug use in pregnant woment with RA, SLE, PsA and AS. Specifically, they looked at immunosuppressive drug use in the 3 months preceding and during pregnancy.
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Drug Safety Update for November 2015
The Down-Side of Electronic Medical Records. EMRs (or EHRs) have become increasingly utilized in daily practice. The benefits of these include better record-keeping, safe prescribing, patient and drug tracking, adverse event monitoring and checks for drug interaction.
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Microvesicles May Ameliorate Arthritis Damage
Microvesicles are emerging as a new mechanism of intercellular communication by transferring cellular lipid and protein components to target cells, yet their function in disease is only now being explored.
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Azathioprine Adverse Events Associated with TPMT Polymorphisms
Azathioprine (AZA) is widely used in the treatment of several autoimmune diseases. Its use and optimal dosing may be limited by adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) is an important enzyme involved in AZA metabolism.
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Famous Rheumatologist Quotes – Part I
A famous quote from Verna Wright, MD, states, “Clinicians may all too easily spend years writing“doing well” in the notes of a patient who has become progressively crippled before their eyes".
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Physician Burnout on the Rise
Burnout among U.S. doctors affects more than half of practicing physicians, according to a new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. (Citation source http://buff.ly/1RpV8Q0)
Read ArticleRituximab's Efficacy May Be Correlated with CD4 T Cell Counts
Rituximab (RTX) is highly effective at B cell depletion and this may be one of several hypothetical ways in which the drug works. B cell numbers (measured as CD19+ B cells) plummet rapidly after the first infusion and stay down for 6-12 months.
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Reduced Uric Acid from Weight Loss Tied to Triglycerides
Weight loss is one of several nonpharmaceutical interventions to reduce serum urate (SUA) levels and control gout. French researchers examined the role of xanthine oxidase (XO), low-grade inflammation, and weight loss on SUA levels in obese patients.
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Prudent Diet Reduces Risk of RA and Gout
The 2015 ACR meeting in San Francisco highlighted several studies wherein dietary patterns predicted a reduced risk of both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gout.
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EHR Connected Doctors May Be Disconnected from Patients
Reuters reports doctors who entered data into electronic health records (EHR) during patients' appointments tend to communicate less and receive lower ratings from their patients.
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