CHICAGO—A 49-year-old woman has had RA for eight years. She has a rheumatoid factor reading of 35, an aCCP reading of 160, erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 42, plus erosions. She has been on methotrexate. She tried etanercept for six months, but then it stopped working. She was on 40 mg of adalimumab weekly, but it…
At the 2015 meeting of the European League Against Rheumatism in June, multiple studies were presented comparing the use of different biosimilar and biologic drugs in treating rheumatoid arthritis…
ROME, Italy—Even with classification criteria that have been updated and refined over time, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still a diagnosis that ultimately has to be made with clinical judgment, said Ronald van Vollenhoven, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and chief of clinical therapy research in inflammatory diseases at the Karolinska University in Sweden. His remarks…
ROME, Italy—Fatigue, a problem experienced frequently by patients with rheumatic diseases, is best thought of as a survival mechanism and as a single phenomenon, not a condition that comes in a variety of forms, an expert said in a session at EULAR 2015, the annual congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). Gene Regulated…
In a Phase 2 study, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of guselkumab to alleviate symptoms in patients with active RA suffering from tender and swollen joints.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Inspiratory muscle training can help improve aerobic capacity and pulmonary function in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), according to new findings presented at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress. “Inspiratory muscle training as a stand-alone therapy improves inspiratory muscle function (strength and endurance), decreases symptoms of dyspnea and improves exercise capacity,”…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—A new study has identified myocardial and vascular abnormalities in patients with newly diagnosed, treatment-naive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). “The study suggests cardiac abnormalities already exist in newly diagnosed patients with RA,” senior author Dr. Maya Buch of the University of Leeds in the UK told Reuters Health by email. “Specifically, a reduction…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Ultrasound-defined tenosynovitis (TS) is a strong predictor of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to new findings presented at the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual Congress in Rome. Patients with TS of the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendons or the finger flexor tendons were more than six times as likely to be…
Recognizing, reducing risk of bone fractures in pediatric patients with rheumatic disease, taking glucocorticoid therapy
Links between autoimmunity, malignancy prompt rheumatologists to include cancer screening for patients