There you are, working steadily away on your next manuscript. The ideas are flowing. You’ve hit your stride. Nothing can stop you now—nothing, that is, except a colleague who shows up at your desk with a 20-page grant proposal. “Do you mind?” he asks. Across academia the problem is the same—too few hours in the…
New research reinforces the hypothesis that the gut microbiome triggers mucosal and systemic immune responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The research, published in Arthritis & Rheumatology May 2017, found that subgroups of patients with RA have differential immunoglobulin G (IgG) or IgA immune reactivity with Prevotella copri, an intestinal microbe that appears to be…
The Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) held the 2017 OARSI World Congress in Las Vegas, April 27–30. Below, we report on two of the sessions held. Retinoic Acid & Hand Osteoarthritis Retinoic acid is a vitamin A derivative and hormonal signaling molecule with a role in cartilage and skeletal development. Retinoic acid has complex function,…
As a manifestation of hyperuricemia, inflammatory bullous lesions have rarely been described in the past century. A more classic presentation of hyperuricemia is acute inflammatory gouty arthritis, characterized by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals. Other complications of chronic untreated hyperuricemia may include polyarticular arthritis, tophus formation and possible chronic destructive lesions of the bone,…
Editor’s note: The new Pillar Talk column is developed by the ARHP Executive Committee in an effort to share information about ongoing activities related to our four pillars: Education, Practice, Research and Advocacy. The ARHP Practice Committee is committed to addressing the current needs and evolving practice opportunities for health professionals working in rheumatology. A…
The words genetically modified are making people run for the hills these days. Not so when it comes to arthritis care, however. In the lab of one pioneering researcher, genetic engineering is catapulting arthritis treatment years ahead. Farshid Guilak, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University, St. Louis, and…
The landscape of practice management and coding methodologies continues to be challenging in the current healthcare environment, and rheumatology practices must maintain focus on managing an effective and efficient practice. Join us at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, Nov. 3–8 in San Diego, and gain knowledge and understanding of best practices in an ever-changing environment…
Apply your skills, interests and ideas to enhance the ACR’s Continuing Assessment Review Evaluation (CARE) program. Designed for self-study at an individual’s own pace, the CARE modules provide questions on a wide range of rheumatology clinical practice topics, allowing rheumatologists to review fundamental concepts and learn important new advances in the field. Serving as a…
A 66-year-old woman returns to the office for a follow-up visit. She is seen by the physician assistant (PA) for her rheumatoid arthritis. She is experiencing burning pain in her right knee, and she reports that after going for her morning walk, she rates the pain at a 6 on a scale of 10. She…
A new measurement tool could mean big changes for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). With funding from the Rheumatology Research Foundation, Gregg Silverman, MD, led a study that developed a means for the measurement of immunologic memory in autoimmune disease. This new tool will allow rheumatologists and investigators to measure the immunologic defects that…