Mary Moran (now an MD) had just turned 20 years old and wondered if she’d make it through that day in May. She was sailing on a 30-foot open boat—no cabin below—for 26 days off the coast of Maine with 10 strangers who knew very little about sailing. On the third day, storm clouds rolled…
The Phone Call A phone call in the middle of the night can rattle one’s nerves. The rush of adrenaline sets the heart pounding as our ears brace for what we are about to hear next. A distress call from an elderly parent or a child away at college? Is everyone safe? Or may this…
Systemic autoimmune diseases are thought to result from immune dysregulation in genetically susceptible individuals who were exposed to environmental risk factors. Many studies have identified genetic risk factors for these diseases, but concordance rates among monozygotic twins are 25–40%, suggesting that nonheritable environmental factors play a more prominent role.1,2 Through carefully conducted epidemiologic and other…
Antisynthetase syndrome (AS) is strongly associated with the presence of antibodies to aminoacyl-transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetases (ARSs) that are implicated in the pathogenesis of myositis and interstitial lung disease (ILD). Antibodies against eight antisynthetases have been identified and are detected in 16–26% of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM).1 Serum assays for five of these…
There is a saying that if the American Medical Association (AMA) did not exist, we would have to invent it. That is just what Dr. Nathan S. Davis did back in 1845 when he called for a national medical convention and laid the foundation for the establishment of the AMA in 1847. This new group would…
Neurologists and rheumatologists focus on atypical diseases, and their treatments often require insights from both specialties. Philip Seo, MD, MHS, says communication between specialists is key to diagnosis and treatment…
Editor’s note: This blog by Dr. Worthing originally appeared on the ACR’s Advocacy Listserv. What a month! House Republicans introduced their bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. The ACR has analyzed the bill and believes the American Health Care Act (AHCA) does not go far enough to help Americans with rheumatic diseases. Brief recap: The…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Inpatient rehabilitation did not lead to better mobility following total knee replacement compared with a home-based program in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in Australia. The findings do not support inpatient rehabilitation for adults undergoing uncomplicated total knee arthroplasty, conclude the authors in JAMA on March 14.1 “Normally, one study is…
After 39 years in rheumatology practice, Herbert Baraf, MD, says, “Management has a great influence over the quality of practice.” Here are some tips for physician management…
(Reuters Health)—Women and minorities face more barriers to getting ahead in their medical careers, both early in training and later on, researchers say. In one study, Dr. Julie Boiko of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues found that women are underrepresented among speakers at grand rounds. This was true for all but two…