New research on complement activation in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis underscores its important role in the pathogenesis of this disease, an autoimmune condition defined by inflammation of small- and medium-caliber blood vessels.1 ANCA testing is commonly performed to help diagnose granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis, both of which are forms of ANCA-associated…
As a health educator at Integrative Rheumatology, a private practice in Charlotte, N.C., Latisha Williams, MPH, CHES, CHC, works with patients to teach them how to better manage their disease. In the two-and-a-half years that Ms. Williams has worked at Integrative Rheumatology, she’s answered countless questions about exercise, nutrition and complementary therapies, among other topics. “Patients…
Late-night gatherings; long hours of avid discussion weighing the merits of resolution quality, light, hues and tones; and camaraderie among members forged through a shared interest in maintaining the highest fidelity to their craft and profession—these are among the vivid memories of those who participated in the early years of building what is today known…
Some have opined, cynically, that transformative changes will not come to medical education and training, and to healthcare, until pigs fly. Well, in 2009–10, “swine flu,” and now we are in the midst of an unprecedented and disruptive pandemic, affecting virtually all aspects of our lives, including fellowships.1 As someone who started a rheumatology fellowship…
A recently developed frailty index may be a valuable way to quantify vulnerability in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.1 When evaluating SLE, physicians consider a patient’s disease activity, organ damage and health-related quality of life. The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC)/ACR Damage Index (SDI)…
2020 has not only borne witness to a global pandemic, but also to increasing fervor in the fight for racial equity. In a wave of opposition to the systemic racism in the U.S., people have been in the streets demonstrating and protesting against social injustice and have taken to social media to promote political action….
Our hospitals have had their finest hour in the care of acutely ill inpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic, including dealing with allocation decisions fairly and transparently, maximizing good outcomes and remaining cognizant of the enduring ethics of healthcare. The honorable traditions of self-effacing conduct and acceptance of some level of personal risk by healthcare professionals…
2020 marks an important milestone for the Rheumatology Research Foundation. It is the Foundation’s 35th anniversary—a time when we can reflect on our past triumphs and look forward to a bright future for our profession and for our patients. The ACR established the Research and Education Foundation, later renamed the Rheumatology Research Foundation, in 1985,…
On April 5, 1950, a small group of scientists met in Silver Spring, Md., to talk about geophysics. I know this is not the most riveting way to start, but if you stick with me, I promise the story will get much more interesting. This group of scientists met to discuss all that was still…
Ironically, chronic exposure to minocycline has also been associated with a variety of autoimmune syndromes, including drug-induced lupus, autoimmune hepatitis, serum sickness and vasculitis.1 Minocycline is associated with an 8.5-fold increased risk of drug-induced lupus.2 Minocycline and nitrofurantoin are implicated in 90% of cases of drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis.3 Minocycline-induced vasculitis is much less common and,…