Although antimitochondrial antibodies are present in SLE patients, researchers have has difficulty investigating the phenomenon due to barriers in isolating pure mitochondria. The study describes a technique that allows for such an investigation and provides insight into how the adaptive immune system recognizes mitochondrial organelles…
The ACR is greatly saddened by the loss of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, wife of rheumatologist Howard Kaye, MD. Mrs. Gilbert-Kaye was tragically killed in the San Diego-area synagogue shooting on April 27 after she dove in front of Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, saving his life. We send our deepest condolences to Dr. Kaye and his family. CNN…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Rates of osteoporotic fracture were similar three years after starting either denosumab or alendronate in a real-world Danish population-based cohort study. “Previous studies have shown that denosumab is more efficacious than alendronate in increasing bone mineral density (BMD), possibly the best proxy outcome for subsequent fracture risk. However, previous studies were underpowered…
Romosozumab-aqqg has been approved in the U.S. for treating postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk of fracture…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—How parents and children reminisce about the child’s recent surgery affects the child’s pain memory, researchers from Canada report. Children who recall pain that is higher than initially reported are more likely to report more pain and distress during future pain experiences. These negatively biased memories, formed early in life, set the…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can safely switch from infliximab to the biosimilar CT-P13, though they may face a higher risk of clinical relapse, researchers from Spain report. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of infliximab biosimilars in patients with IBD, but there are limited data about the effectiveness…
Pain, physical disability and joint deformity have been linked to sexual dysfunction. New research suggests gout may also significantly affect relationships and intimacy. The study found the physical effects of gout on intimacy, such as joint pain, were the top-ranked concern for gout patients…
Shervin Assassi, MD, MS, was the child of two physicians. His mother practiced obstetrics, and his father was a trauma surgeon. It gave him an appreciation for the hard work that goes into medicine and a fascination for joints. He developed an interest in immunology while in medical school. “It was natural for me to…
(Reuters Health)—Over a typical 24-hour shift, first year residents training in internal medicine spend just three hours on direct patient care and only 1.8 hours on education, a U.S. study suggests. Most of their time—an average of 15.9 hours out of every 24-hour shift—is consumed instead by “indirect patient care,” primarily involving interactions with medical…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—A large population-based study from the U.K. provides more evidence that some autoimmune liver diseases may be triggered by exposure to something in the environment. The study found a significant clustering of cases of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in well-defined regions of north-east England…