COVID-19 isn’t the only viral infection on the rise across the globe, so is chikungunya, which can cause arthritis-like symptoms and may lead to long-term joint pain.

COVID-19 isn’t the only viral infection on the rise across the globe, so is chikungunya, which can cause arthritis-like symptoms and may lead to long-term joint pain.
ACR Convergence 2020—In May 2020, the ACR published its updated guideline for the management of gout.1 It followed on the heels of a 2017 gout guideline published by the American College of Physicians.2 Although the guidelines provide similar recommendations on the treatment of acute gout, they differ importantly in the use of uric acid-lowering therapy…
The desire for safety during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced rheumatology fellowship programs to embrace virtual platforms. Here are some insights into how this change has affected recruitment in 2020.
ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—The definition of cell type depends increasingly on a cell’s molecular features. On Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, Alex Kuo, PhD, senior scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif., described six technologies that are relatively mature and can be used for rheumatic disease research: Rapidly developing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq); Cellular indexing…
Lisa Rapaport |
(Reuters Health)—A once-daily 15 mg dose of upadacitinib for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has similar rates of malignancies, serious infections, major adverse cardiovascular events, and venous thromboembolic events as other Janus kinase inhibitors (jakinibs), results from phase 3 clinical trials suggest. Researchers examined data on treatment emergent adverse events among patients taking upadacitinib in five randomized…
Roberto Caricchio, MD, discusses what trials of repurposed rheumatology drugs to treat COVID-19 cytokine storm have shown so far.
Certain nutrients or dietary patterns may affect inflammation and rheumatic disease risk in certain populations. Recommended nutrients include omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, poultry or nuts. Following a Mediterranean or standard Western diet may affect RA risk too.
ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—Recent research findings suggest rheumatologists need to take a closer look at two gold standard autoantibodies used to diagnose seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), according to Caroline Grönwall, PhD, and Miriam Shelef, MD, PhD, who discussed Antibodies in RA: Beyond Citrullination & Back to Rheumatoid Factor at…
Experts say progress is being made on a variety of fronts in lupus nephritis. New data, for instance, shows that repeat biopsy beyond that used for diagnosis can help guide treatment and greatly reduce the flare rate. New treatments – including belimumab and the calcineurin inhibitors tacrolimus and voclosporin — have yielded improved response rates in LN…
ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—New evidence, though derived from small numbers, suggest that treatment with the TNF-inhibitor certolizumab could help improve high-risk pregnancy outcomes in women with antiphospholipid syndrome (with or without systemic lupus erythematosus) and lupus anticoagulants, an expert said. In the Phase 2 IMPACT trial, which has already enrolled 27 women and is continuing to…