An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals
Lara C. Pullen, PhD
Lara C. Pullen, PhD, is a medical writer with a PhD in microbiology/immunology from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. As a medical writer she has covered topics as diverse as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and autism. Her favorite subject, however, is the role of the immune system in health and disease. Dr. Pullen is also the mother of three children, the youngest of whom has Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). She is an active member of the PWS community and a thought leader on the importance of the ketogenic diet for this patient population.
Dietary triggers of gout flares are associated with high levels of serum urate. A study recently uncovered an association between high serum urate and tomatoes, the first such link established beyond patient anecdotes…
A recent study analyzed inflammasome response, finding the POP1 PYRIN domain protein acts to decrease excessive inflammatory responses and prevent systemic inflammation. Researchers ultimately developed a drug based on POP1 and found it reduced inflammation in mice…
In a recent review, researchers addressed skin injury in patients with SLE, discussing the effects of ultraviolet rays on the skin and the subsequent generation of autoantibodies. They concluded that UV rays activate immune cells where IgG has been deposited, resulting in inflammation…
By considering the long-term damage from early, aggressive rheumatoid arthritis, researchers in the UK were able to develop a model demonstrating the long-term cost effectiveness of more aggressive combination therapies v. short-term treatments…
New research in mice has found that treatment with a vitamin C derivative can effectively suppress the generation of mitochondrial superoxide, which plays a role in cartilage degeneration and the progression of osteoarthritis…
Pain can be reduced and functionality significantly improved for children with fibromyalgia without drug therapy, according to a study of 64 children in Philadelphia. Researchers combined intensive physical therapy and psychotherapy in individualized programs to treat the fibromyalgia patients…
A new data-driven study tracked and analyzed gout-related healthcare costs for more than three years, determining the financial burden of flares and the possible benefit of proper flare management…
Researchers have recently discovered a connection between the varicella zoster virus infection, which causes chicken pox and shingles, and giant cell arteritis…