Doebl et al. compared the effect of symptoms and the healthcare use of people with fibromyalgia with those who fulfilled the criteria for fibromyalgia but had not been diagnosed and those with chronic pain. They found patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia reported the poorest healthcare experiences and were more likely than other study participants to be unemployed due to health issues. Their findings reveal an urgent need exists for a model of care for patients with fibromyalgia.
A study found DNA methylation profiling may predict if a patient will progress from a diagnosis of undifferentiated arthritis to that of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The findings also suggest a pre-established epigenetic signature exists in patients diagnosed with undifferentiated arthritis that evolves into RA.
Although effective against rheumatic disease, biologic therapies come with hefty price tags. Patient assistance programs can be a useful resource to help under- and uninsured patients get the drugs they need.
Rheumatologists play a critical role in the reproductive health of their patients, but only half of rheumatologists currently ask their patients about reproductive health or family planning issues. A new guideline seeks to change that.
As the first rheumatologist at a federally qualified health center in Austin, Texas, Samantha Shapiro, MD, learned several practical tips for the care of uninsured and underinsured patients with rheumatic diseases.
Patients in intensive care may experience dangerous manifestations of rheumatic disease, such as digital ischemia, multi-system organ failure and more. In a session at ACR Convergence 2021, experts addressed how to manage and treat these critically ill patients.
Options to escalate treatment for refractory inflammatory myositis and new therapies in the pipeline are discussed.
Contraception, disease control, family planning and managing life with an infant—five experts addressed these concerns and more for patients with rheumatic disease during a special online webinar.
Experts provide insights into spondyloarthropathy, temporomandibular joint involvement and imaging for pediatric patients with JIA.
PRSYM—At its heart, the practice of medicine in all forms is specifically centered on delivering compassionate, thoughtful and evidence-based clinical care. In the world of pediatric rheumatology, a range of issues, such as chronic pain, reproductive health and transitioning to adult providers, are of utmost importance to patients and physicians alike. These topics were addressed…