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

Psoriasis Tied to Increased Risk of Major Depression

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—People with psoriasis are twice as likely as others to have major depression, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In earlier work, psoriasis has been linked to depression, anxiety and substance abuse. Studies have shown that both depression and psoriasis are associated with cardiovascular disease, which…

Immunotherapy May Be Effective for Some Patients with Autoimmune Cerebellar Ataxia

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Immunotherapy appears to yield neurological improvements in some patients with autoimmune cerebellar ataxia, especially those with nonparaneoplastic disorders, researchers report. “I was surprised that so many patients responded to immunotherapy (steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), and plasma exchange) and remained ambulatory,” Dr. Andrew McKeon from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told Reuters Health…

Tabalumab Modestly Effective in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Tabalumab, a monoclonal antibody to B-cell activating factor, was modestly better than placebo in relieving symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to results from the ILLUMINATE-2 trial. “Lupus is a complicated disease that does not behave the same way in all patients who share the clinical symptoms,” Dr. Joan T. Merrill…

Biotechs Extend Selloff as Pricing Concerns Intensify

Caroline Valetkevitch & Bill Berkrot  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters)—U.S. biotech shares extended their recent downward spiral on Tuesday as concerns about drug pricing continued to plague the sector while disappointing news from Illumina and other companies added to selling pressure. The Nasdaq Biotechnology index, down 4%, has now fallen about 17% since just before Hillary Clinton, front-runner to be the Democratic nominee…

Complex Patients More Likely to Switch from Medicare Advantage

Andrew M. Seaman  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Medicare Advantage plans might not be meeting the needs of patients requiring the costliest and most complex levels of care, a new study suggests. Between 2010 and 2011, such patients were more likely to switch from Medicare Advantage plans to traditional Medicare, rather than vice versa, researchers found. The results suggest people…

Does Insomnia in Patients with Knee OA Affect Pain?

Arthritis Care & Research  |  

New research explores the correlation between insomnia and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). After conducting a multimodal sleep study, researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore uncovered a combined effect between catastrophizing and disturbed sleep, resulting in increased pain sensitivity, specifically central sensitization, for knee OA…

Weight-Bearing Exercise Eases Knee Osteoarthritis, Temporarily

Kathryn Doyle  |  

(Reuters Health)—A program of weight-bearing exercise reduces pain and improves joint function, at least for two to six months, for people with osteoarthritis, according to a review of previous trials. “We had a systematic review for Cochrane from 2008 and 2009, but there were much less articles,” said Dr. Martin Van der Esch, who coauthored…

USBJI’s Project 1000 to Foster a Community of Musculoskeletal Educators

David S. Pisetsky, MD, PhD & Joseph Bernstein, MD  |  

Since its inception, the U.S. Bone and Joint Initiative (USBJI) has promoted excellence in medical education on the musculoskeletal system and diseases of the bones and joints. To meet this goal, the USBJI has embarked on a new effort called Project 1000. Project 1000 will identify 1,000 local champions of musculoskeletal education throughout the country,…