Serological testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies may play a critical role in the management of the worldwide health crisis. Such testing may reveal key information for epidemiology, convalescent plasma therapies and vaccine development. However, the situation is complex, and much is unknown. Although such testing may ultimately be used to…
Recent research found women with COPD and asthma—even those who have never smoked—are at a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis…
According to a new study, the prevalence of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANAs), the most common biomarker of autoimmunity in the U.S., has increased considerably in recent years among adolescents aged 12–19 years, in both sexes (especially in men), older adults (age ≥50 years) and non-Hispanic whites…
(Reuters Health)—Most Medicare Advantage plans are not offering chronically ill enrollees supplemental benefits to address social needs, which were added to the government health program in 2018 in an effort to improve health outcomes and achieve cost savings, a U.S. study suggests.1 Researchers examined publicly available data on benefits and plan design for Medicare Advantage…
A study comparing trends in the incidence of RA from 2005 to 2014 with previous decades showed a shift in RA subset, suggesting the need for timely recognition of rheumatoid factor-negative RA…
A recent study compared three clinical criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients using certolizumab, assessing the predictability of treatment non-response. Researchers found Clinical Disease Activity Index measurement at three months may predict patient outcomes at 12 months…
A pediatric rheumatologist in the thick of treating children with COVID-19 confronts a new and evolving syndrome.
Recent research examined the use of apremilast in patients with psoriatic arthritis using the Clinical Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (cDAPSA) measurement. The findings suggest patients with moderate disease activity at baseline benefit most from the treatment…
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, COLO.—Choosing the right treatment at the right time is the brass ring all rheumatologists hope for. Precision medicine provides the ability to leverage clinical, biomarker and omics data to predict and personalize future treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). “New data and new methods to analyze the data are helping us better predict patterns…
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, COLO.—The science underlying the neurobiology of chronic pain isn’t something rheumatologists often think about. However, pain is an important reason why patients see a rheumatologist. At the 2020 ACR Winter Symposium in January, Leslie Crofford, MD, gave two presentations addressing pain experienced by rheumatology patients, including a session on the fundamental mechanisms of…