Often, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients struggle with fatigue, and the cause of the fatigue remains unclear. Past research suggests RA-related fatigue may be moderately improved by physical activity. A recent narrative review supports these prior findings, noting that patients also benefit moderately from psychosocial interventions…
In a systematic literature review, researchers found that rheumatoid arthritis patients taking etanercept were less likely to discontinue their treatment than patients using any of five other tumor necrosis factor inhibitors…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The risk of malignancy in patients with systemic necrotizing vasculitis varies according to the treatment received, according to an analysis of five randomized controlled trials. Previous studies reported an increased risk of malignancy in patients with systemic necrotizing vasculitis, and a more recent study from the European Vasculitis Study Group, based on…
Based on a request by the ACR Insurance Subcommittee, off-label use of mycophenolate for scleroderma has been added to a Medicare-approved compendium.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—New European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) classification criteria can be used to identify patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in an unselected group of patients hospitalized for pericardial effusion, new findings show.1 “Overall, in patients with pericardial effusion and positive ANA, the diagnosis of SLE could be ruled out…
(Reuters Health)—Young adults who have had knee injuries are much more likely than uninjured peers to develop knee osteoarthritis (OA) by middle age, especially if they have broken bones or torn connective tissue, a recent study suggests. Cruciate ligament injuries were associated with a 19.6% greater risk of knee osteoarthritis, the study found. Meniscal tears…
Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) can cause fibroinflammatory lesions in nearly any organ. Correlation among clinical, serologic, radiologic and pathologic data is required for diagnosis. ACR/EULAR classification criteria for IgG4-RD have now been developed and validated in a large cohort of patients…
For patients with lupus, family planning discussions are vital to achieving positive pregnancy outcomes & maintaining overall health…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—In Lyme disease-endemic areas, a C6 peptide enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test may help guide initial management of children with acute arthritis, an observational study suggests.1 “Children with Lyme disease frequently present to the emergency department with an inflamed joint,” Lise Nigrovic, MD, MPH, of Boston Children’s Hospital tells Reuters Health by email….
It’s often said the eyes are the window to the soul, and in the case of ankylosing spondylitis and other spondyloarthropathies, one can also say the eyes are the window to systemic disease. Although uveitis occurs in approximately 2–5% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, 6–9% of patients with psoriatic arthritis and 25% of patients…