Based on decades of data from dietary and other lifestyle interventions, doctors have long known that significant weight loss can be an effective treatment for people who are overweight and have knee osteoarthritis (OA). One meta-analysis showed that OA pain, function and stiffness scores improved by 2% for every 1% in lost weight.1 But the…
“What can I eliminate from my diet to cure my arthritis?” is the question every client with arthritis asks me. Numerous case reports document patients who achieved lower markers of inflammation and reduced pain and stiffness associated with the removal of one or two food groups from a diet, but historically, no compelling evidence has…
A new study questions whether acetaminophen is a risk-free pain reliever for patients aged 65 and older, including those with osteoarthritis (OA). Although acetaminophen is often touted as an alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, a population-based cohort study found it carried an increased risk of peptic ulcers, bleeding and other side…
For the 2024 Image Competition, the ACR sought images with educational or remarkable manifestations representing a diverse range of pediatric patients with autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious and malignant drivers of rheumatic disease. Here, we showcase the winning images from North America. Patient Presentation A 3-year-old boy presented with a four-month history of rash and hand blisters….
‘Patients with rheumatologic diseases are rightfully concerned about the risk of flares after getting their COVID vaccines, especially after holding immune modulators,’ says says Physician Editor Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, FAAAAI, RhMSUS. ‘A new study is reassuring that flares are rare, even after holding or discontinuing immune modulators.’ The development of a vaccine for…
Answer a short survey to help the ACR’s Committee on Rheumatologic Care decide whether the ACR should seek CMS approval for synovial fluid crystal analysis as a provider-performed microscopy procedure.
The development of a vaccine for COVID-19 changed the course of the pandemic; however, it also raised questions about whether to withhold or reduce immunosuppressive therapies and other medications for patients with inflammatory, rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (IRMD), note the authors of a new study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. An argument for…
For the 2024 Image Competition, the ACR sought images with educational or remarkable manifestations representing a diverse range of pediatric patients with autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious and malignant drivers of rheumatic disease. Here, we showcase the winning images from the Middle East and North Africa. Lipoma Arborescens Revealed A 10-year-old boy, presented with a five-year history…
‘Cannabis has a long history of being used for pain management,’ says Physician Editor Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, FAAAAI, RhMSUS. ‘What does it mean for rheumatology patients moving forward? Read our article for one answer to this question.’ As cannabis becomes more widely legalized, both in the U.S. and internationally, its use for pain…
Over 50% of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) develop interstitial lung disease (ILD), and rheumatologists have long recognized this major cause of morbidity and mortality.1 Sindhu R. Johnson, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada, and director of the Toronto Scleroderma Program, notes that more recent studies have increased our awareness…