Focus Rheums| Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? (video)

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Education & Training

Can You Mentor By Committee?

David S. Pisetsky, MD, PhD  |  

Committees lack the one-on-one relationship that is the backbone of early career training

The Pathway to Success

David A. Fox, MD  |  

Collaboration with our partners is key to ensuring a bright future for the ACR

Opportunities Abound at Annual Meeting

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The 2008 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting will offer multiple opportunities for attendees to increase their knowledge of rheumatic diseases. New educational programs and returning favorites will give attendees multiple chances to enhance their education and make good use of their time at the meeting.

REF and AF Partner to Provide an Additional “Bridge Funding”

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Fostering promising investigators is imperative to the future of rheumatology, so when the ACR Research and Education Foundation (REF) board of directors discovered that outstanding applicants were not being funded through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) K-series grant program (the NIH’s career development award program) due to budgetary constraints, the REF quickly called a meeting with the Arthritis Foundation (AF) and the NIH to discuss a solution.

Sneak Peak at the 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting

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The 2007 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting was well received by attendees, and the ACR and the ARHP are building on that foundation by offering a variety of in-depth sessions at the 2008 meeting in San Francisco on October 24–29.

Audioconference Offers Advice on Pain Associated with Juvenile Arthritis

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What is the pain puzzle? “It is a bio-psycho social model of pain that is accepted in the field of rheumatology,” according to Michael Rapoff, PhD, professor of pediatrics at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City and the highlighted speaker for the ARHP audioconference on April 17.

Pediatric BOOST

Terry Hartnett  |  

Many innovative programs aim to meet the increasing need for pediatric rheumatologists

Osteonecrosis

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Osteonecrosis, also called avascular necrosis or aseptic necrosis, is a condition in which the death of bone cells (due to decreased blood flow) can lead to pain and collapse of areas of bone. This collapse of bone, in turn, can lead to degenerative arthritis of nearby joints, most commonly the hips and knees. Less frequently affected are the shoulders, hands, and feet. In rare instances, osteonecrosis can occur in the jaw— resulting in pain and mouth ulceration. Osteonecrosis is not fatal, but can lead to pain, arthritis, problems with physical activity, and even the need for joint replacement. Most of the 10,000 to 20,000 Americans developing osteonecrosis annually are between age 20 and 50. These individuals usually have a history of serious trauma, corticosteroid use, excess alcohol intake, or other conditions including systemic lupus erythematosus, dysbarism (“the bends” that occur with scuba diving), blood disorders, HIV infection, and radiation therapy.