Genes may predispose people to have certain microbial signatures in their gut that, in turn, make them susceptible to developing reactive arthritis. This is the main finding of a recent study in which researchers investigated whether perturbations in the intestinal microbiome play a role in susceptibility to reactive arthritis in the face of triggers, such…
ACR guidelines include recommendations for the management of patients with particular conditions or diseases. Guidelines are developed using a systematic process and are based on available evidence and the clinical experience and expertise of rheumatologists and other interested stakeholders. In the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology, Arthritis Care & Research and the Journal of…
Varicella-zoster-virus (VZV) reactivation, which can cause patients to develop herpes zoster (i.e., shingles), occurs more frequently in patients with systemic vasculitis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who have received intravenous cyclophosphamide than in otherwise healthy adults, according to a retrospective study published in The Journal of Rheumatology by researchers in France.1 The study also shows…
LONDON (Reuters)—Scientists exploring what may trigger chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have found clues in the way some people’s immune systems respond to interferon alpha.1 The researchers used the drug to create a model of the disease in people without CFS but with hepatitis C. Many patients who receive interferon alpha experience extreme fatigue during treatment,…
Researchers sought to identify predictors of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) who took rituximab for maintenance had a better sustained remission rate through 60 months than those taking azathioprine, according to the latest results from the maintenance of remission using rituximab in systemic ANCA-associated vasculitis (MAINRITSAN) trial, a prospective, randomized trial…
Rheumatologists prescribe rituximab for induction and maintenance treatment for anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitides (AAV). Maintenance treatment typically employs fixed-schedule dosing, but in the recent maintenance of remission using rituximab in systemic ANCA-associated vasculitis II (MAINRITSAN2) trial, researchers from the French Vasculitis Study Group examined whether individually tailored maintenance dosing might work better. “The…
Patients under the care of the U.S. Veterans Affairs who were older, non-white and had more comorbidities were less frequently given biologic initiation therapy to treat their rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a recent study. Researchers sought to identify predictors of greater use of biologic therapies, as well as factors associated with persistent use of…
The ACR and the Rheumatology Research Foundation have a rich history of collaboration and significant achievement. In many ways, our collaboration has become the classic triple threat of medicine, as we endeavor to support research, advance clinical care and expand education in so many intertwined and inseparable ways. Although we are greatly encouraged by the…
Big data can benefit rheumatology research. But according to experts at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, the data must first be accessible, interoperable and shareable…
Low muscle density due to the accumulation of intramuscular fat has been observed in RA patients and is associated with higher disease activity. New research sought to understand the relationship between muscle density, physical function and strength independent of body composition, including such factors as total and visceral adiposity. The results: Compared with healthy controls, low muscle density in RA patients was associated with low muscle mass, excess adiposity and greater disability…