Mary Beth Nierengarten is a writer, editor and journalist with over 25 years of medical communications experience. She is a regular contributor to a number of online and print publications and writes in most clinical areas, as well as on health policy and economic issues. She lives in Minneapolis and can be reached at mbeth@visi.com.
For people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fatigue can be a debilitating symptom that interferes with daily life and significantly reduces quality of life. Managing fatigue can be difficult; it is linked to disease activity and a host of other conditions that commonly accompany RA, such as depression, sleep problems and obesity. A new study, however,… [Read More]
With the aid of increasingly sophisticated neuroimaging technology, research into how the brain activates and changes in patients with chronic pain is delivering fascinating information that will hopefully pave the way to tailored, individual treatment of chronic pain. Over the past several years, data from neuroimaging studies have provided a new understanding of what occurs… [Read More]
In the ever-changing healthcare delivery landscape, the ACR continues to go to work on behalf of its members to ensure public policies encourage delivery of high-quality rheumatology care and treatment. With stepped-up efforts to meet with federal administrative and Congressional representatives, and broadened coalitions of partners to strengthen advocacy for key issues important to the… [Read More]
On Dec. 8, 2017, members of the Cognitive Care Alliance (CCA)—of which the ACR is a leading member—met with members of Congress on the Hill and representatives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discuss ongoing concerns about the inadequacy of existing evaluation and management (E/M) codes to properly remunerate cognitive services… [Read More]
Efforts by the ACR to develop a rheumatology-specific alternative payment model (APM) are well under way. The first draft proposal was approved by the ACR Board of Directors in November and presented to the rheumatology community during the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego. The ACR is pursuing the development of a rheumatology-specific APM… [Read More]
Insight into the disease mechanisms and cause of brain dysfunction in patients with central nervous system (CNS) lupus suggests a potential new way to treat the common and diverse neuropsychiatric symptoms these patients often exhibit: Target the underlying pathology. Findings of a new study suggest that type I interferon plays a critical role in stimulating… [Read More]
FDA Approves Adalimumab-adbm On Aug. 29, the FDA approved Cyltezo (adalimumab-adbm), a biosimilar to Humira (adalimumab).1 Cyltezo was approved as a prefilled syringe to treat multiple chronic inflammatory diseases, including moderate to severe active RA, active psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, and moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The treatment has also been approved for moderate… [Read More]
While the latest version of the Republican-sponsored healthcare bill once again falters and its prospects of becoming the new law of the land fade, plenty of advocacy work is continuing on behalf of rheumatologists and rheumatology practices. The ACR, along with multiple partners, has renewed its push for regulatory relief in a number of areas… [Read More]
For years, guidelines from various organizations have recommended osteoporosis screening in women and men starting at a specific age or based on specific risk factors. Among these guidelines are those developed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) that recommend universal osteoporosis screening for women 65 years of age and older and for targeted… [Read More]
Management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is complex. The ever-expanding availability of new drugs requires that rheumatologists and patients constantly consider treatment strategies and targets aimed at both disease control and symptom relief while remaining cognizant of the increasing high cost of emerging medications. Given such complexity, guidelines to inform rheumatologists about the most recent developments… [Read More]