The umbrella term crystalline disease covers arthritic conditions caused by deposition of crystals and associated inflammatory response, including erythema, edema and intense pain. The two most common crystal-induced arthropathies are gout, an arthritis secondary to inflammation caused by the presence of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals formed through high levels of serum urate, and calcium pyrophosphate…
Preclinical models have provided important insights into the pathogenesis of OA and potential pathways for therapeutic intervention, including adenosine. Ticagrelor and clopidogrel are both used in patients with coronary artery disease, but only ticagrelor increases extracellular adenosine levels. In this study, treatment with ticagrelor was associated with a 29% lower risk of developing OA than treatment with clopidogrel over five years of follow-up.
In light of the release of the ACR’s new gout guideline, it’s not surprising that 50 abstracts of studies on various aspects of gout were accepted at ACR Convergence 2020. Here, we highlight just a few:
Editor’s note: On Oct. 26, 2020, the ACR submitted comments opposing the proposed change. The Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Bureau issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on Sept. 25 that would change the admission period of academic student and exchange visitor aliens, as well as representatives of foreign information media, from duration of status…
A new disease model for lupus tackles issues with fatigue and other serious conditions that, although quite common among patients, get less attention because they fall outside classic symptoms associated with inflammation, a debilitating force behind systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The model features subtypes to categorize two main groups of symptoms into type 1, typically…
Pain is the main reason patients with osteoarthritis (OA) seek medical help because of the substantial burden it imposes and its impact on quality of life. Pain can actually change the way the central nervous system works. This central sensitization results in more pain with less provocation. And according to results from an observational study…
A new study in Arthritis Care & Research highlights potential differences in incidence, the presentation of prominent symptoms and laboratory findings in African Americans and Native Americans with Sjögren’s syndrome compared with white populations. Native Americans appear to be at higher risk of the disease, although they often display fewer of the classic symptoms. Importantly,…
A recently developed frailty index may be a valuable way to quantify vulnerability in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.1 When evaluating SLE, physicians consider a patient’s disease activity, organ damage and health-related quality of life. The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC)/ACR Damage Index (SDI)…
2020 has not only borne witness to a global pandemic, but also to increasing fervor in the fight for racial equity. In a wave of opposition to the systemic racism in the U.S., people have been in the streets demonstrating and protesting against social injustice and have taken to social media to promote political action….
Our hospitals have had their finest hour in the care of acutely ill inpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic, including dealing with allocation decisions fairly and transparently, maximizing good outcomes and remaining cognizant of the enduring ethics of healthcare. The honorable traditions of self-effacing conduct and acceptance of some level of personal risk by healthcare professionals…