Within 10 years of diagnosis, 23–45% of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease may become unemployed due to disease-related disability. Intervention programs may be necessary to prevent this work loss. New research examined if a vocational rehabilitation program delivered by occupational and physical therapists can benefit this patient population…
Heated Gloves May Improve Hand Function in Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis
Systemic sclerosis (SSc), a subtype of scleroderma, is a rare, complex autoimmune disease characterized by widespread vasculopathy of the small arteries and fibroblast dysfunction.1,2 It has been described as a fibrosing microvascular disease, because vascular injury precedes and leads to tissue fibrosis.3 The resulting Raynaud’s phenomenon, pain, skin thickening and tightening, and multi-organ involvement have…
Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Provides New Insights on Risk Factors, Identification Tools, Intervention
Established wisdom holds that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will fare better if their disease is diagnosed as early as possible, and treatments with disease-modifying drugs are started before inflammation can do more damage to joints and tissue. Usually, early diagnosis means spotting the clinical signs of disease, but new research tells us more about…