A 67–year-old white woman with primary Raynaud’s phenomenon presented following a week of progressively worsening shortness of breath, dry cough and generalized malaise. An avid tennis player, she first noticed dyspnea while playing, but a few days later grew short of breath even at rest. She went to an urgent care center, where a computed…
For most doctors, fellowship training represents the final two to three years of formal medical education, and recognition of the unique opportunities of this time period can help aspiring rheumatologists get the most out of their fellowship. Fellowship training is inherently different than residency training, with less structured time, smaller teams (often consisting of only…
In a December 2019 editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the implications of diagnostic error were explored through the story of two parents, both medical professionals, who sought a diagnosis for their sick child.1 Their son saw specialist after specialist and underwent repeated procedures, but for years was left without an explanation…
I have always been dissatisfied with the apparent dichotomy between researchers and clinicians; this is a false divide. Yes, research includes laboratory-based investigation, clinical trials, and retrospective and prospective studies of disease entities, among other pursuits. However, clinicians also contribute to research by sharing clinical data and through observations of their patients. Clinicians’ daily contributions…
It came down to the toss of a coin. David Yancey represented the Newport News district in the Virginia House of Delegates beginning in 2011. In 2017, he had a challenger. Shelly Simonds, a member of the local school board, decided to run for the privilege of representing the 94th District. The final tally: 11,608…
Serological testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies may play a critical role in the management of the worldwide health crisis. Such testing may reveal key information for epidemiology, convalescent plasma therapies and vaccine development. However, the situation is complex, and much is unknown. Although such testing may ultimately be used to…
Here’s a taste of what participants in this year’s virtual annual meeting, ACR Convergence 2020, will have access to during Down & Dirty 30, four 30-minute sessions designed to provide refreshers on specific rheumatology-related topics.
A Canadian study sought to identify individuals at high fracture risk and provide them with pharmacotherapy to prevent fractures. They found the assessment of hip and lumbar dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans for vertebral fracture can be useful in the identification of women and men aged 70 years and older who should qualify for anti-osteoporosis treatment…
Legislative staff talk about working during the pandemic and how they are connecting with constituents.
An estimated one in four American adults live with a rheumatic disease, and according to a new national patient survey by the ACR, the healthcare and lifestyle challenges have become worse for these patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key survey findings include: Patients currently seeing a rheumatologist declined 52% between 2019 and 2020; 68% of…