Recent research examined the relationship between patients with scleroderma who are anti-CTP antibody negative and cancer. Combing two complementary technologies, PhIP-Seq and PLATO-BC, researchers identified the POLR3 complex in cancer-associated scleroderma…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Me.) called President Donald Trump’s executive order against Obamacare “very confusing” on Monday, saying whatever actions the Trump administration takes, legislation will still be needed to replace the health insurance law. “We really don’t know yet what the impact (of the order) will be,” Collins told reporters, adding that it…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—The Trump administration may no longer enforce a rule requiring individual Americans to carry health insurance or pay a penalty if they do not, a senior White House official said on Sunday Speaking on ABC’s “This Week” program, Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said President Donald Trump “may stop enforcing the individual mandate.”…
Do you want to practice near a highway off-ramp or a supermarket? Where a rural rheumatology practice is located may be the key to success…
A 50-year-old male patient returns to the office for a follow-up visit for a diagnosis of generalized primary osteoarthritis of multiple sites. The patient tells the medical assistant that he is experiencing sharp throbbing pain in his left hip and right and left knees. He states the pain level is 6 out of 10 and…
WASHINGTON, D.C.—“Regardless of where we are on the political spectrum, we have to get engaged,” said Sen. Tim Hutchinson, senior director, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Washington, D.C., speaking at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. As a former U.S. senator from Arkansas, Sen. Hutchinson talked about the importance of members in such organizations as the ACR to…
Wash your hands. This most basic tenet of proper hygiene has been drummed into our heads for years. It’s an obvious infection prevention activity, yet for years, compliance among physicians and other caregivers has been lackluster. To rectify this matter, regulatory agencies began auditing hospital staff adherence to this axiom of infection prevention. Not only…
The Case You’re working in a busy rheumatology practice with wait times of two to three months for new outpatient consultations. A hospital administrator requests that his daughter see you right away. All but one of your urgent appointment slots for the week is already filled, and there are several patients on a waitlist; these…
Although gout is one of the most effectively treated of all rheumatic diseases, it is among the worst-managed diseases long term, as shown by many studies. “Treatments are excellent, yet are dramatically under-utilized,” says Theodore Fields, MD, FACP, rheumatologist, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), New York. “This is because some gout patients feel better between…
GCA Relapse Possible When Discontinuing Tocilizumab In a Phase 2 randomized, controlled trial, tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6 biologic agent, was shown to induce and maintain remission for up to 52 weeks in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA).1 During this trial, patients with GCA were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive 8 mg/kg bodyweight tocilizumab…