Lara C. Pullen, PhD, is a medical writer with a PhD in microbiology/immunology from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. As a medical writer she has covered topics as diverse as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and autism. Her favorite subject, however, is the role of the immune system in health and disease. Dr. Pullen is also the mother of three children, the youngest of whom has Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). She is an active member of the PWS community and a thought leader on the importance of the ketogenic diet for this patient population.
Recent research into burnout in primary care providers has found many providers experience professional dissonance and cite increasing paperwork and undervaluation as contributors to burnout. The study also outlined solutions that may improve professional fulfillment…... [Read More]
The reach of Lyme disease is expanding across the U.S., and cases may be under-reported. A recent CDC case report describes the experiences of two patients with fatal cases of Lyme carditis…... [Read More]
Recent research assessed the risk of gout in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus prescribed sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors compared with those prescribed a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist. The study found patients on the SGLT2 inhibitor had a lower rate of gout, suggesting SGLT2 inhibitors may actually reduce the risk of gout among this patient population…... [Read More]
A rare form of large vessel vasculitis, Takayasu arteritis persents with no clear patterns, with patients experiencing vascular symptoms, as well as such systemic symptoms as fever and weight loss. A systematic literature review found evidence to guide rheumatologists in monitoring and treating their patients with Takayasu arteritis…... [Read More]
A systematic literature review identified novel evidence on the treatment and management of GCA that was incorporated into the most recent EULAR recommendations on the management of large vessel vasculitis. Investigators confirmed the efficacy of prompt initiation of glucocorticoids and found fast-track approaches to diagnosis lowered the risk of ischemic complications…... [Read More]
A recent study is the first to examine pragmatic language skills in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), finding that approximately half of SLE patients have pragmatic language dysfunction…... [Read More]
Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) can cause fibroinflammatory lesions in nearly any organ, and diagnosis is challenging. ACR/EULAR classification criteria for IgG4-RD have been developed and validated in a large cohort of patients. These criteria have performed well in tests and should contribute substantially to future clinical, epidemiologic and basic science investigations.... [Read More]
Often, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients struggle with fatigue, and the cause of the fatigue remains unclear. Past research suggests RA-related fatigue may be moderately improved by physical activity. A recent narrative review supports these prior findings, noting that patients also benefit moderately from psychosocial interventions…... [Read More]
In a systematic literature review, researchers found that rheumatoid arthritis patients taking etanercept were less likely to discontinue their treatment than patients using any of five other tumor necrosis factor inhibitors…... [Read More]
A case-control study found only 23% of invited commentaries for peer-reviewed medical journals had women as their corresponding authors. The study also revealed women are 21% less likely to write such commentaries as men with similar expertise and author seniority…... [Read More]