Exclusive: ACR Convergence 2024| Focus Rheums

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Search results for: zoster

From the Expert: Don’t Forget to Vaccinate Immuncompromised Patients

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Preventing infection in immunocompromised patients is challenging, especially with the increased use of biologic treatments, which have been known to reactivate latent infections, such as the herpes zoster virus. Nicolas Issa, MD, discusses recent vaccination research and prevention techniques to help this patient group avoid infection…

Scleritis Often Diagnosed by Ophthalmologists, But Rheumatologists Help Determine Systemic Causes

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Ophthalmologists may be more likely to initially diagnose and treat scleritis, an inflammation of the scleral tissues of the eye. However, rheumatologists need to remain aware of the condition as well: It’s commonly associated with rheumatic disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Scleritis can present in the eye anteriorly or posteriorly. “Anterior scleritis can be…

New SLE Drug May Allow Patients to Reduce Steroid Use

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In a recent study, the use of anifrolumab in SLE patients was shown to be safe and effective, enabling some patients to decrease their oral steroids. Also, secukinumab has been approved in Europe to treat ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis…

Research in Temporal Arteritis Suggests Link with Infection, Autoimmune Disease

Shamik Bhattacharyya, MD, MS  |  

Temporal arteritis was first described by Sir Jonathan Hutchinson in 1890 in an elderly retired gentleman’s servant who developed red, painful streaks on his temples and was found to have bilaterally swollen temporal arteries with feeble pulses.1 Sir Hutchinson disputed the suggestion that the red streaks were caused by the man’s hat and, instead, called…