Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used therapeutically since the 1960s.1 Evidence of adverse cardiovascular outcomes led to the withdrawal of the selective COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib in September 2004, when the question of cardiovascular safety of NSAIDs first came into the limelight.2 Valdecoxib (Bextra) was subsequently withdrawn from the market in April 2005 due to…
On Nov. 12, nearly 150 supporters of the Rheumatology Research Foundation gathered at the St. Regis Washington, D.C., for the Donors of Merit recognition dinner. This annual event honors those who contributed to the Foundation throughout the year. Foundation President Eric Matteson, MD, MPH, applauded leaders who have played an essential role in the Foundation’s success….
In 2014, the ACR launched the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE), a national electronic health record (EHR)-enabled registry. The goal: To help participating rheumatologists and practices leverage the new wave of big data created by the use of EHR, advance research and improve overall quality of care. A new analysis examines the RISE structure and the initial patient data collected by the registry…
Serum uric acid (UA) is an important factor in the causal pathway for gout. It has also been implicated as a potential risk factor and/or mediator of cardiovascular disease outcomes and mortality in a large number of observational studies. Although many of the clinical trials targeting serum UA reduction have focused on pharmacologic interventions, diet…
Depending on stage, severity and rate of progression of disease, systemic corticosteroids are commonly used to treat pulmonary sarcoidosis. However, a review of the literature suggests they have limited usefulness in advanced stage IV pulmonary sarcoidosis. Once sarcoidosis has advanced to this degree, steroid use may unnecessarily expose a patient to life-threatening complications, as demonstrated…
Oral health is not frequently considered within the sphere of a rheumatologist’s practice. However, recent results published by the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group (CSRG) point out the importance of assessing oral health in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Result of 3-Year Grant Between 2008 and 2011, 163 patients with SSc and 231 controls were entered…
In 1969, Martha Lovato passed away from renal failure due to complications of lupus. Martha was 18 years old and survived only two years following her diagnosis. At the time, Martha’s disease was still a mystery to many physicians and researchers. Her treatment options were limited. In fall 2004, after an unprecedented battle with shingles…
Advancing the understanding of autoimmune diseases has implications for precision medicine, according to Robert Carter, MD, of the NIH. Research funded through the NIH’s Accelerating Medicines Partnership has the potential to develop better biomarkers and clinical trials for lupus and RA, paving the way for more personalized treatment…
Since 1999, 60 rheumatologists have received the Clinician Scholar Educator Award from the Rheumatology Research Foundation. These clinician educators have benefitted professionally from the award and have also dedicated themselves to the advancement of education. Most spend at least 30% of their time engaged in education, and awardees provide curriculum widely used in rheumatology fellowship programs…
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…