Video: Every Case Tells a Story| Webinar: ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice

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Figure 2: High-resolution computed tomography showed evidence of interstitial lung disease.

High-resolution computed tomography shows evidence of ILD.

The ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice, a video
In collaboration with the American College of Chest Physicians, the ACR released two new comprehensive guidelines aimed at improving the screening, monitoring, and treatment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). Recently, Sindhu R. Johnson, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada, director of the Toronto Scleroderma Program and principal investigator for the guideline, and Elana J. Bernstein, MD, MSc, Florence Irving associate professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Columbia University, New York City, and co-first author, presented a webinar to talk about how the guidelines were developed and present some of the recommendations and their rationale: Watch the recording now!

 

Myocardial Inflammation Associated with RA Disease Activity

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Introduction: Heart failure, a key contributor to cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality, is associated with fewer symptoms and higher (preserved) ejection fraction, but higher mortality rates, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients than among those in the general population. In the general population, higher levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)…

Kentucky Launches Probe into Drug Overcharges by Pharmacy Benefit Managers

Reuters Staff  |  

(Reuters)—Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear said on Thursday he had launched an investigation into allegations that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) had overcharged state health insurance programs for drugs and discriminated against independent pharmacies. The investigation comes against the backdrop of widespread criticism of rising costs of prescription medicines in the United States, with PBMs, middlemen…

Ohio Accuses UnitedHealth’s OptumRx of Drug Overcharges

Nate Raymond  |  

(Reuters)—Ohio’s attorney general on Monday said he had filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group Inc’s OptumRx unit, saying the pharmacy benefit manager had overcharged the state nearly $16 million for prescription drugs. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s lawsuit followed a probe into the extent pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) like OptumRx had engaged in pricing practices…

The RISE Registry: A Powerful Collaboration Tool for Clinicians & Researchers

Nancy A. Baker, SCD, MPH, OT; Margarita Fallena, MD; Tracy Johansson, MS; Janell Martin, CAE; Kaleb Michaud, PhD; Cynthia S. Crowson, PhD; Dina L. Jones, PT, PhD  |  

Practice-based evidence, like that in the RISE registry, can be used to describe trends in patient care, look at comparative effectiveness of interventions and much more.

ACR Addresses Workforce Challenges at the State Level

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Like many states in recent years, Georgia has struggled to provide patients with adequate access to rheumatologists and other cognitive specialists, with Georgia averaging 74,713 people per rheumatologist. Of equal concern, 31% of Georgia’s rheumatologists are approaching retirement age. During the current legislative session, the ACR has stepped up with a proposal to alleviate some…

Osteoporosis Experts Discuss Bisphosphonates, Chronic Kidney Disease

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CHICAGO—The osteoporosis session at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting opened with a discussion by Kenneth Saag, MD, MSc, professor of medicine at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, in which he highlighted adverse events associated with osteoporosis medications. Dr. Saag began his presentation by emphasizing that, above all, the audience should keep in mind that the…

Insights on the Diagnosis & Treatment of Low Back & Hip Pain

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CHICAGO—Two experts presented insights on the diagnosis and treatment of low back and hip pain, including a refresher course on the mechanical structures involved, in Anatomy in a Day: Demystifying Low Back Pain and Lateral Hip Pain: New Patho-Anatomical Perspectives, a session at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. Low Back Pain Avoid using such terms…

The Latest on Vaccinations, Leprosy & Lyme Disease

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CHICAGO—Keith Winthrop, MD, MPH, professor of public health and preventive medicine at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, Ore., began the vaccination session at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting with a review of vaccination timing and targets. He presented a clinically relevant snapshot of the vaccines rheumatologists should consider and emphasized…

Research Is Advancing Our Understanding of Gout & Hyperuricemia

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CHICAGO—The Gout and Hyperuricemia scientific session at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting opened with a talk by Tony R. Merriman, PhD, a research professor at the University of Otago, New Zealand. His talk focused on molecular epidemiology, with an emphasis on the interactions between genes and environmental exposures, and their contributions to gout. Dr. Merriman…