Search results for: Primary care

ACR Advocates for Access to Viscosupplementation for OA

Kelly Tyrrell | August 6, 2018

In several U.S. states, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and other insurers have dropped or are considering dropping coverage of hyaluronic acid injection—or viscosupplementation—for patients with knee osteoarthritis. The decision appears to be based on guidelines published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 2013, which at that time specified that research had not found hyaluronic…

Statins Linked to Idiopathic Inflammatory Myositis

Will Boggs, MD | July 31, 2018

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Statin use is associated with an increased likelihood of developing idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM), researchers from Australia report. “[Although] the incidence of IIM is rare, with the increasing use of statins worldwide and the severity of this condition, this study highlights the need for increased awareness of the condition and the importance…

Coding Corner Answer: Evaluation & Management Documentation Quiz

From the College | July 19, 2018

Take the challenge. B—The presenting problem(s) is what is evaluated during the history and examination by the provider. The chief complaint is in the patient’s own words or is a follow-up for his or her current condition. The history of present illness, along with the review of systems, usually guides the provider through the examination….

Phase 3 Trial Results: Blisibimod for Lupus Shows Possible Efficacy

Renée Bacher | July 19, 2018

A phase 3 clinical trial in which researchers treated lupus patients with blisibimod, a biologic treatment that inhibits B cell activating factor (BAFF), did not meet its primary endpoint, but did demonstrate evidence of possible efficacy. Researcher Joan T. Merrill, MD, a member of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) and OMRF professor of medicine…

Study Finds Young Adults with Lupus at High Risk for Depression

Elizabeth Hofheinz, MPH, MEd | July 19, 2018

As if the fatigue, joint pain, etc., were not enough, new research has found many lupus patients must contend with clinical depression as well—something that can have a devastating cascade effect on other areas of their lives. Are adults with childhood-onset lupus at greater risk of depression than lupus patients with onset of disease during…

EULAR & ACR Define Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Disease for Laymen

Thomas R. Collins | July 19, 2018

Understanding rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) is an understandably tall order for the lay public, what with the huge number of conditions and the complex—and often little understood—processes involved. Now, a working group of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and the ACR has set out to try to correct this problem with a definition…

The Demise of the Inpatient Rheumatology Unit

Ruth Jessen Hickman, MD | July 19, 2018

Through much of the 20th century, dedicated rheumatic disease units were found in hospitals across the U.S. and countries around the world. In the latter part of the century, this began to change, with hospitals moving toward the consult model of care for rheumatic patients. This change reflects larger shifts in the medical world toward…

A Comprehensive Review of NSAID Cardiovascular Toxicity

Deepan S. Dalal, MD, MPH, Maureen Dubreuil, MD, MS, & David T. Felson, MD, MPH | July 18, 2018

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most used drugs for acute and chronic pain. More than 30 billion doses of NSAIDs are consumed annually from more than 70 million prescriptions.1 Despite their common use, NSAIDs are not free of serious toxicities. In the pre-Vioxx (rofecoxib) era, gastrointestinal toxicity was the primary concern for many NSAIDs….

Gout Emergency Department Visits Up

Lara C. Pullen, PhD | July 16, 2018

In the past nine years, visits to the emergency department by gout patients have increased by almost 27%. Researchers suggest physicians may not adequately be addressing the burden of gout and the underlying accumulation of uric acid, driving the dramatic increase in emergency department visits in the U.S…

RISE Continues to Improve Offerings for Providers

From the College | July 5, 2018

ACR members are realizing what they have at their fingertips—a registry fully staffed with knowledgeable people ready to help them succeed under MIPS. This valuable resource allows members to do what they do best: Treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is one of the primary goals of the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE)…