Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common autoimmune inflammatory arthritis in adults. In June, the ACR released an updated guideline for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.¹ The guideline includes 44 recommendations—seven of which are strong and 37 conditional. It underscores the role of methotrexate as a cornerstone therapy and emphasizes minimizing glucocorticoids, when possible. It also includes new recommendations for specific high-risk groups. Learn more in our article.

The ACR Convergence 2021 meeting reflected the continued advancement of science and practical research in the field of RA. Among the most important topics this year in RA was the evolution of the risk-benefit profile of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, for which new safety data emerged in a series of related abstracts. Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MS, MPH, University of Alabama at Birmingham, offers an expert commentary on the research into JAK inhibitors, RA prevention tactics, COVID-19 and more.

FEATURED ARTICLE: Tissue Evaluation: Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis Inside & Out

How Autoimmune & Non-Autoimmune Family Conditions Predict Rheumatoid Arthritis

New research has incorporated confounders, such as smoking, to build a clearer picture of family-related factors that may help predict who will develop rheumatoid arthritis…... [Read More]

Case Report: Obliterative Bronchiolitis in Rheumatoid Arthritis

A 59-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) presented to our pulmonary clinic for progressively worsening dyspnea of five years’ duration. She described progressively worsening dyspnea after a few minutes of walking on level ground. In addition, she noted worsening pain and morning stiffness of the wrists, knees and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, with subcutaneous nodules. She… [Read More]

PAD4 Antibodies May Help Predict Treatment Response in Rheumatoid Arthritis

A study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology highlights how the presence of autoantibodies to peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) may eventually be used to influence treatment decisions in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), sharpening our understanding of disease subtypes.1 Although follow-up prospective studies are needed, these findings underline some intriguing areas for future investigations in immunobiology…. [Read More]

ACR Publishes Disease Activity and Functional Status Assessment Measure Recommendations for RA

The recommendations include updated disease activity measures and a new set of functional status assessment measures for rheumatoid arthritis. ... [Read More]

Case Report: Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Restrictive Pericarditis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects approximately 1% of the adult population, and involvement of extra-articular tissue occurs in approximately 40% of patients over their lifetimes.1 RA-associated pericardial disease is an uncommon complication, and surgery is the only definitive therapy—according to current literature. In this report, we present the case of… [Read More]

Physical Activity Reduces Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis

A recent study has taken a more detailed look at the relationship between physical activity and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers found the more patients exercised weekly the lower their overall risk, specifically brisk and very brisk walking paces, along with longer cumulative average walking hours weekly were associated with a reduced risk for RA…... [Read More]

Study Finds Chronic Opioid Use Doubled in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

The prevalence of chronic opioid use among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) doubled between 2002 and 2015, especially among patients with severe pain or on antidepressants, according to a new study.1 The study adds to prior data reporting trends in chronic opioid use in RA patients.2,3 Severe pain was the strongest predictor for use of… [Read More]

Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center

Research, Case Reports & More