Natasha Yetman, Author at The Rheumatologist

Articles by Natasha Yetman

Some Cannabis Products May Ease Chronic Pain, But Side Effects Are a Concern

Reuters Staff | June 15, 2022

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Oral synthetic cannabis products that have a high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to cannabidiol (CBD) ratio, as well as extracted cannabis products with comparable THC-to-CBD ratios, may provide moderate, short-term improvements in chronic pain, a large systematic review of relevant research suggests.1 However, these products are also associated with higher risks for side effects,…

Gene Profiling May Predict Treatment Response in Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis

Marilynn Larkin | June 7, 2022

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) refractory to treatment with rituximab or tocilizumab, genetic profiling of synovial biopsies predicted the lack of therapeutic response better than a model using only tissue pathology or clinical factors, researchers say.1 “We believe this study is a paradigm shift in precision medicine in RA,” Dr. Costantino…

Conservation of Drugs: The Impact of Acute Immunomodulator Prescribing for COVID-19 on Rheumatology Patients

Sara Jo Santangelo, PharmD candidate, & Wendy Ramey, BSPharm, RPh, CSP | May 23, 2022

In its COVID-19 treatment guidelines, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) lists several drugs commonly prescribed for patients with rheumatic conditions as potential therapies in those who are hospitalized for COVID-19 and require high-flow oxygen, noninvasive ventilation, intermittent ventilation (IMV) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), as of Aug. 25, 2021, and current as this is…

Intra-Articular Steroid/Lidocaine Injection Improves Hip Arthritis Pain, Function

Reuters Staff | May 10, 2022

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—A single injection into the hip of steroid and local anesthetic improved pain and function in patients with hip osteoarthritis in a randomized controlled trial, with most of the benefit seen early after treatment. Researchers at two community-based clinics in England assigned 199 volunteers to receive either an ultrasound guided intra-articular hip…

Risk of Adverse Outcomes Due to COVID-19 May Be Lower with TNF Inhibitor Monotherapy

Katie Robinson | May 5, 2022

Findings support the continued use of TNF inhibitor monotherapy in individuals with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. In the study, these patients had a lower risk of hospitalization or death caused by COVID-19 than patients on other commonly prescribed treatment regimens

In the Bones: RheumMadness 2022 False Positive MRI in Axial SpA

University of South Florida Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Anastasiya (Stacy) Bagrova, MD; Shreya Gor, MD; Joanne Valeriano-Marcet, MD; Larry Young, MD; & John Carter, MD | March 3, 2022

Spondyloarthropathy (SpA) can be difficult to diagnose, with rheumatologists sometimes relying on classification criteria designed for clinical trials. Research examines how the use of MRIs affects the finding of bone marrow edema and the diagnosis of axial SpA.

Back to Basics: RheumMadness 2022 Increasing ANA Positivity Scouting Report

University of Chicago School of Medicine: Lauren He, MD; Ana B. Arevalo, MD; & Kichul Ko, MD | March 3, 2022

Research has revealed how the prevalence of anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) positivity has changed over the past 25 years, raising questions about the role of ANA in autoimmunity and disease.

Drug Transference in Pregnancy: RheumMadness 2022 TNFi in Cord Blood Scouting Report

University of Chicago Medicine: Lauren He, MD; & Cuoghi Edens, MD | March 2, 2022

A study was able to quantify the transference of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors from mother to fetus during pregnancy. Overall, the researchers found low levels of transfer for the treatments studied.

Conversation: RheumMadness 2022 Reproductive Health Guide Scouting Report

Duke University Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Catherine Sims, MD; Sonali Bracken, MD, PhD; Megan Milne, MD; Nathaniel Harris, MD, PhD; Poorva Apte, MD; Lena Eder, MD; Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, MD, Med; Megan Clowse, MD; & David Leverenz, MD | March 2, 2022

Rheumatologists play a critical role in the reproductive health of their patients, but only half of rheumatologists currently ask their patients about reproductive health or family planning issues. A new guideline seeks to change that.

Get the Picture: RheumMadness 2022 PET-CT in Large Vessel Vasculitis Scouting Report

Medical University of South Carolina Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Sean Carter, MD; Jessica English, MD; Brad Collins, DO; Ana Tucker, MD; Jen Schmidt, MD; Whitney Elg-Salsman, DO; & Faye Hant, DO | February 14, 2022

With both impressive sensitivity and specificity in capturing active large vessel vasculitis, a positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a potential tool for determining disease activity and predicting relapse in patients with large vessel vasculitis.