Scleromyxedema is a rare, mucinous skin disorder of unknown origin, one of a number of conditions that mimic systemic sclerosis. Although cases of scleromyxedema remain rare, a better understanding of its mechanisms of action could have implications for the research and treatment of scleroderma and related autoimmune conditions, says Laura K. Hummers, MD, ScM, co-director…
A recent study in The Journal of Rheumatology sheds light on the importance of preconceptional cardiovascular health in women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Although many questions remain, improved cardiovascular health measures seem to positively affect pregnancy outcomes, suggesting a potential role for preconception cardiovascular interventions.1 Women with lupus now have healthier pregnancies than in the…
MADRID—Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is among the most common autoimmune diseases in the U.S., affecting approximately 1.3 million U.S. adults.1 Although tremendous treatment advances have been made in recent years, one extra-articular manifestation of RA that continues to pose a challenge with regard to detection and management is interstitial lung disease (ILD). At the 2019 European…
MADRID—During the 2019 European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR), held June 12–15, speakers addressed the complexity of vasculitis in a Challenges in Clinical Practice session titled, How to Maintain Remission in Vasculitis. Although vasculitis appears in many varieties, one commonality exists among these related yet distinct conditions: When there is vital organ or systemic involvement, disease…
A patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) asks if diet can help ease their symptoms. Or maybe a patient with severe knee osteoarthritis (OA) seeks diet advice because they want to lose weight and relieve pressure on their joints. Although there’s no specific nutrition plan for patients with rheumatic diseases, research has shown many dietary factors…
People with or at risk for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) may be assigned to four depression subtypes with distinct clusters of depressive symptoms that may affect pain and disability over time, according to a new study in Arthritis Care & Research.1 Four depression subtypes were identified in the study using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies…
How laboratories define a serological hallmark of systemic lupus erythematous and which assays they use to detect it could contribute to misclassification of patients identified as anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) negative, according to researchers. Most people who have lupus test positive for ANAs as part of an immunology screening for autoimmune disorders. The presence of ANAs…
The identification of specific transcription factors linked to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) provides new information on the molecular mechanisms underlying the link between EBV and autoimmune disease. A recently published study, “Transcription Factors Operate Across Disease Loci, with EBNA2 Implicated in Autoimmunity,” co-led by John B. Harley, MD, PhD; Leah C. Kottyan, PhD; and Matthew…
More than 72,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses in 2017, according to the National Institutes of Health.1 The impact of the opioid epidemic has affected many levels of patient care and, as a result, healthcare systems are responding to escalating death rates, new legislation and the possibility of compromised patient safety in a multitude of…
Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is a life-threatening complication of systemic sclerosis. SRC occurs in 2–15% of patients with diffuse sclerosis and usually within the first five years from the time of diagnosis. Risk factors for SRC include, but are not limited to, early diagnosis, corticosteroid or cyclosporine use, and the presence of anti-RNA polymerase III…