A lack of quality sleep may exacerbate depression and pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to Michael R. Irwin, MD. Here are some tips for rheumatologists on how to discuss sleep with patients and help patients reduce sleep disturbance…
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in the joints of patients may drive the pathology of spondyloarthritis through the production of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). A recent study found that both GM-CSF-producing CD4 T cells and the GM-CSF+ Th17 cells expressed high levels of GPR65—indicating that both GM-CSF and GPR65 may be therapeutic targets for spondyloarthritis…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Use of epidural steroid injections (ESIs) “should be approached with prudence,” particularly in patients who are at risk for osteoporotic fractures, such as women of postmenopausal age, according to authors of a systematic review. Although the literature presents a mixed picture, ESIs in doses as low as 80 mg methylprednisolone equivalents seem…
A person living with lupus may feel isolated. They receive information from their doctor, but it’s never enough to fully understand the disease. So where do they turn? Social media, where they can connect, share information and learn. A new social media initiative, Hablemos de Lupus—which translates to Let’s Talk About Lupus—focuses on sharing…
When a patient has fibromyalgia, sleep troubles are the last thing they need. Unfortunately, sleep problems affect a large number of fibromyalgia patients, and those problems can turn into a vicious cycle that interplays with daytime pain and fatigue. “Pain and sleep disturbances are a double-edged sword,” says Elika Kormeili, MFT, a licensed clinical psychologist…
SAN DIEGO—Fibrosis affects all organ systems, but isn’t always systemic sclerosis. Experts on less common forms discussed patient presentations, diagnosis and treatment at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego on Nov. 6. Retroperitoneal Fibrosis Formerly called Ormond’s disease, retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is usually an IgG4-related disease, but has some unique characteristics, said John…
SAN DIEGO—Exercise, within limits imposed by an individual’s circumstances, is an almost universally beneficial medical therapy. In fact, Teresa J. Brady, PhD, senior behavioral scientist with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Arthritis Program, labeled it “medicine” in a session on exercise at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Nov. 3–8. Dr. Brady asked whether…
SAN DIEGO—Rheumatologists who treat lupus patients gleaned tips on diagnosis and management of renal disease, painful neuropathies and alopecia at a “Curbside Consults” session held Nov. 6 at the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego. Membranous Lupus Nephritis Patients with refractory membranous lupus nephritis (MLN), or Class V lupus nephritis, face “significant morbidity, most of…
SAN DIEGO—B cell signaling goes awry in many patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), triggering pathogenic autoimmune responses and clinical disease. At the Rheumatology Research Foundation’s 2017 Evelyn V. Hess Memorial Lecture, held on Nov. 5 at the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, researcher Ignacio Sanz, MD, discussed B cells’ role in this complex disease. Because lupus…
SAN DIEGO—Proposed classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which are supported but not yet approved by the ACR and EULAR, debuted on Nov. 7 at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. An international steering committee developed and validated the criteria, with patient input and the consensus of more than 150 global SLE experts. Researchers referred…