Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a primary, necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis, involving small- to medium-sized arteries, that causes systemic disease. Almost any organ can be affected, but the most affected systems are the upper airways, lungs, kidneys, eyes and peripheral nerves. Migratory polyarthritis is reported in approximately 25% of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated…
It’s easy for rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals to feel frustrated by burdensome administrative tasks, complicated insurance policies and other healthcare hurdles. Advocacy offers a way to channel those complaints into constructive action, says Belinda Birnbaum, MD.
Studies related to acupuncture and tai chi show some benefits for patients with musculoskeletal disorders, such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. When patients ask about these integrative health approaches, rheumatologists should recommend they use qualified, experienced practitioners.
Liana Fraenkel, MD, MPH, likes to fix things, and the dynamic and challenging field of rheumatology always has room for improvement. That mindset has led her down some interesting paths as a researcher and healthcare provider, and as vice president of the Rheumatology Research Foundation. Dr. Fraenkel was a rheumatologist and researcher at the Yale…
Ho et al. found that upadacitinib may impede the progression of bone erosion in patients with RA. Additionally, bone scans of patients with limited exposure to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs showed bone erosion regression, which may result from upadacitinib’s inhibition of Janus kinase 1.
Stimulating human programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), a checkpoint inhibitory receptor, with peresolimab may be a viable way to treat autoimmune diseases, according to a study by Tuttle et al. In the study, patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were treated with peresolimab experienced greater improvements in disease activity than those who received placebo.
Editor’s note: We at The Rheumatologist are saddened to hear of the passing of Richard Brasington Jr., MD, FACP, MACR. Dr. Brasington leaves a legacy of excellence as an outstanding clinician, educator, scholar and more. One of the many ways that he contributed to our community was as the associate editor of The Rheumatologist between…
Editor’s note: We at The Rheumatologist are saddened to hear of the passing of Richard Brasington Jr., MD, FACP, MACR. Dr. Brasington leaves a legacy of excellence as an outstanding clinician, educator, scholar and more. One of the many ways that he contributed to our community was as the associate editor of The Rheumatologist between…
An in-person poster hall and networking lounges are among the highlights attendees can expect at ACR Convergence 2023 in San Diego, Nov. 10–15.
Research from Choi et al. provides insights into the risk of infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), comparing patients treated with Janus kinase inhibitors vs. tumor necrosis inhibitors. The most frequent infection was herpes zoster, with patients treated with JAK inhibitors having a significantly greater risk of herpes zoster infection than those treated with TNF inhibitors.