Conditions

Subcategories:Axial Spondyloarthritis Clinical Criteria/Guidelines Gout and Crystalline Arthritis Myositis Osteoarthritis and Bone Disorders Other Rheumatic Conditions Pain Syndromes Pediatric Conditions Psoriatic Arthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis Sjögren’s Disease Soft Tissue Pain Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Systemic Sclerosis Vasculitis

Clinical Trial of Ixekizumab for Psoriatic Arthritis Shows Positive Results

Michele B. Kaufman, PharmD, BCGP | October 12, 2016

A study found that ixekizumab decreases disease activity and increases physical function in biologic-naive patients with active psoriatic arthritis…

Pharmacokinetics May Be Factor in Success of Pegloticase Therapy for Gout

From the College | October 11, 2016

We read the case report by Dr. Diana Girnita and colleagues (“Severe Refractory Gout: What options are left when pegloticase fails?” The Rheumatologist, August 2016) with interest. A case is reported of a subject with 20 years of chronic refractory gout who failed to respond to pegloticase therapy, and the potential roles of anti-drug antibodies or…

Mechanistic, Epidemiologic Clues Suggest Possible Link Between Obesity, Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Kurt Ullman | October 11, 2016

Obesity has an established systemic inflammatory component. Could that be a trigger for the inflammation seen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other rheumatic diseases? Although there is no direct scientific evidence, both mechanistic and epidemiologic clues do give some intriguing suggestions of a possible link. “At first, we thought that fat was involved only in…

Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Provides New Insights on Risk Factors, Identification Tools, Intervention

Susan Bernstein | October 11, 2016

Established wisdom holds that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will fare better if their disease is diagnosed as early as possible, and treatments with disease-modifying drugs are started before inflammation can do more damage to joints and tissue. Usually, early diagnosis means spotting the clinical signs of disease, but new research tells us more about…

Targeted Therapy for Scleroderma Fibrosis

Sara R. Schoenfeld, MD, & Flavia V. Castelino, MD | October 11, 2016

Scleroderma, or systemic sclerosis (SSc), is an autoimmune disease characterized by vasculopathy and fibrosis. Although relatively rare, with a prevalence in North America of approximately 300 per 1 million people, SSc is associated with significant morbidity and high rates of mortality.1 Patients with scleroderma have four times greater mortality than age- and sex-matched controls, with…

State-of-the-Art Course on Interprofessional Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Maura Iversen | October 11, 2016

During an interactive, case-based course at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, participants will develop strategies to help patients manage unique barriers to access to care and adherence…

Rheumatology Drug Updates: Abaloparatide Promising for Osteoporosis, Plus Secukinumab for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Michele B. Kaufman, PharmD, BCGP | October 10, 2016

Abaloparatide for Osteoporosis Abaloparatide is completing Phase III clinical trials for the potential treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in women who are at an increased risk of fracture.1 Abaloparatide is a synthetic peptide that engages the parathyroid hormone receptor and has favorable bone building activity. Abaloparatide has completed Phase 3 development for use as a daily…

New Large-Vessel Vasculitis Therapies Emerge, but Better Options Still Needed

Thomas R. Collins | October 10, 2016

LONDON—New therapies are emerging for the two main forms of large-vessel vasculitis, giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu’s arteritis—particularly biologic therapies. But for just about every available treatment gap, drawbacks or limited evidence remain, with the results needing to be borne out in larger trials, an expert said at the Annual Congress of the European…

As Role of Kinase Inhibitors in Rheumatic Disease Treatment Expands, Experts Review Therapy’s Failures, Successes

Thomas R. Collins | October 10, 2016

LONDON—Kinase inhibitors’ profile in the world of rheumatic disease therapy is growing, and they are probably going to play an even larger and more central role as time goes on, experts said at the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2016. But Gary S. Firestein, MD, director of the Clinical and Translational…

Management of Psoriatic Arthritis, Treatment of Axial Spondyloarthritis Addressed at EULAR 2016

Thomas R. Collins | October 10, 2016

LONDON—Rheumatologists need to make the management of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) “a little more complex,” treating different tissues individually and doing more to help treat and prevent co-morbidities, an expert said here at the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2016. Iain McInnes, MD, PhD, director of the Research Institute for Infection, Immunity…