Large granular lymphocytic (LGL) leukemia is a rare, chronic, lymphoproliferative disorder of cytotoxic T cell or natural killer cell lineage with an annual incidence of 0.72 cases per 1 million people in the U.S.1 The most common subtype of LGL leukemia, T-LGL leukemia, follows an indolent disease course and accounts for approximately 85% of cases….
The high prevalence and significant burden of osteoarthritis (OA) are well known. But it’s becoming apparent that OA research efforts don’t necessarily match disease prevalence or disability. The International Foot and Ankle Osteoarthritis Consortium (IFOAC) is an international organization of volunteers that seeks to highlight a major and often overlooked problem in OA research—foot and…
Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis, affecting ~9.2 million adults (3.9%) in the U.S. The good news: The etiology of gout is well understood, and effective, inexpensive medications exist to treat it. However, gaps in quality of care persist. Below, explore selected content from The Rheumatologist’s collection of research reviews, case reports and…
SARS-CoV-2, or COVID-19, is a complex disease entity that continues to evolve. Physicians, researchers and scientists alike have worked tirelessly to tackle this beast in its short existence; however, we are reminded daily that there is more to this virus than meets the eye. It is well known that COVID-19 can cause acute respiratory failure…
Vision loss, implications of treatment and more—Sarah Mackie, BMBCh, PhD, MRCP, discussed the latest research on the evaluation and management of giant cell arteritis.
The Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act would set a $98 floor for Medicare reimbursement for the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone density test.
As the U.S. and other patents for branded denosumab products get closer to expiring, drug manufacturers are initiating clinical trials for more affordable, biosimilar versions of the treatment.
The Budget Control Act of 2011 cut Medicare physician payments by 2% across the board. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law in 2020, suspended this sequester (i.e., a cut in government spending) between May 1 and Dec. 31, 2020. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law in December…
It is well known that hip fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality: Mortality increases 15–25% in the year following a hip fracture.1–5 We know that treating osteoporosis prevents fractures and improves patient survival. But is there a relationship beyond this? Several studies have found that bisphosphonate therapy is associated with a reduction in…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Long-term glucocorticoid users see greater gains in spine bone-mineral density when treated with the monoclonal antibody denosumab vs. oral alendronate, a small clinical trial shows. The drug also proved superior at lowering bone-turnover markers at 12 months, researchers in Hong Kong report in Bone.1 “Denosumab may be considered as an alternative first-line…