In an observational study, physicians found that systemic rheumatic disease exacerbation and treatment-related infections were often related to the lungs…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The risk of serious infections increases in the early months of anti-TNF treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, researchers from Denmark report. “The pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha plays an important role in the immune system and therefore it is biologically plausible that TNF-alpha inhibitors may increase the risk of infections,” said Dr. Nynne Nyboe…
Ankylosing spondylitis primarily affects the joints and ligaments of the spine, but may also have an impact on other joints. Patients experience pain and stiffness that limit mobility in the back and other affected joints. Symptoms can come and go, last for long periods of time and be severe. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs are…
Dr. Sheffield is an adult rheumatologist who received the following referral request from a family doctor: “Please see this 22-year-old male with a history of juvenile arthritis for ongoing care. I have only seen him once, and have no previous medical records.” Dr. Sheffield meets with Paul, who reports that he has had arthritis since…
Squeeze Test in Inflammatory Arthritis, Need for Standardization? The first use of the squeeze test as a clinical maneuver to detect inflammatory arthritis in patients with hand problems was described by Recth in 1988, and Morton described its use for patients with foot problems.1,2 In 1991, Eberhardt and Rigby proposed the clinical maneuver be used…
As the literature on comorbidities linked to psoriatic arthritis (PsA) expands, it’s becoming more difficult for clinicians to keep up with what comorbidities should be assessed and how these comorbidities affect treatment selection. Given this, rheumatologists at the Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, Cleveland Clinic and Hospital for Special Surgery in New…