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An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Coding Corner Question: Is This Shoulder Ultrasound Billable?

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A 32-year-old male patient with rheumatoid arthritis affecting multiple joints without rheumatoid factor returns to the office for a follow-up visit with the nurse practitioner (NP). The patient states his overall pain has improved since his previous visit, although he rates the severity of his right shoulder and right wrist pain at a 5 on…

Best Practices for Onboarding New Physicians

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A lot of effort goes into recruiting the best provider into a practice, but missteps during the onboarding process have the potential to leave the provider feeling unsatisfied and the practice dealing with turnover. Although it is one more task to add to an already full plate of things to do at a practice, comprehensive…

RheumPAC Advocates for Dept. of Defense Arthritis Research Funding

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RheumPAC is the ACR’s non-partisan political action committee, which promotes the needs of rheumatology providers and patients. Advocacy efforts often focus on legislation to improve the day-to-day clinical care of rheumatology patients, such as establishing clinical exceptions to step therapy requirements and reforming the prior authorization process. In addition, the ACR and RheumPAC recognize the…

Rheumatology Research Foundation Hosts Annual Investigators Meeting

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The Rheumatology Research Foundation hosted the 13th annual Investigators Meeting in Washington, D.C., June 22‒23. The meeting provides Foundation-funded researchers with an opportunity to share updates on their studies, network, exchange ideas and collaborate on future projects to advance treatments and cures for rheumatic diseases. More than 50 rheumatology professionals were in attendance, with presentations…

Summer 2019’s Awards, Appointments & Announcements in Rheumatology

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Betty Diamond, MD, Recognized as Distinguished Fellow by American Association of Immunologists At its annual meeting in May in San Diego, the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) recognized Betty Diamond, MD, as a distinguished fellow. Dr. Diamond is professor and head of the Center for Autoimmune, Musculoskeletal and Hematopoietic Diseases at the Feinstein Institutes for…

Dr. Jim O’Dell: Rheumatologist, & Master Artisan

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As a young child, Jim O’Dell, MD, spent hours with his grandfather in his basement, making bird houses and bird feeders. “My grandfather, who was a woodworker, was one of the most influential people in my life,” Dr. O’Dell says. “He probably cringed at the crude things I made, but he certainly never let me…

Study Says Sjögren’s Patients Have a High Specificity for a Novel Antibody

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An antibody previously un-recognized in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome may shed new light on the patho­physiology of one of the most troubling and disabling symptoms in many of these patients. Investigators at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, found the anti-calponin 3 antibody had a high specificity for Sjögren’s syndrome, particularly among patients with neuropathies.1 “There is…

Probing the Role of Genes & Microbiome in Ankylosing Spondylitis & RA

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Researchers know human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules affect susceptibility to disease in general, and immunological disease in particular. In the case of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), the risk is primarily associated with HLA-B27, with smaller effects from other HLA alleles. Current thinking is that AS is caused by the presence of a genetically primed host because…

Study: Screen Hospitalized Lupus Patients for Venous Thromboembolism

Catherine Kolonko  |  

When patients with lupus are hospitalized, they should be screened and likely treated for venous thromboembolism, researchers of a nationwide study say. In May, ACR Open Rheumatology published results of the large retrospective study spanning several years. Researchers analyzed trends in mortality, morbidity and hospitalization from venous thrombo­embolism (VTE), specifically among patients diagnosed with systemic…

Study Finds Chronic Opioid Use Doubled in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

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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…