Many a rheumatology consult has centered on a perplexing question: Does this patient have central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis? At the 2021 ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium, Rula Hajj-Ali, MD, FACP, professor of medicine and associate director of vasculitis care and research, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, discussed this topic in detail, providing a series…
Dermatomyositis is an uncommon autoimmune condition involving skeletal muscle characterized by subacute onset of progressive weakness, intramuscular inflammatory infiltrates and the presence of myositis-specific autoantibodies.1 Immune-mediated myopathies may exert some pathogenic effects on the muscle tissue by targeting the microvasculature.1 Capillary inflammation, fragility and loss may contribute to heightened bleeding events in these patients. Here,…
In a randomized, controlled trial, the risk difference between groups is interpreted as a causal effect of the treatment, according to Seoyoung C. Kim, MD, ScD, MSCE, an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics and the Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical…
It is well known that hip fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality: Mortality increases 15–25% in the year following a hip fracture.1–5 We know that treating osteoporosis prevents fractures and improves patient survival. But is there a relationship beyond this? Several studies have found that bisphosphonate therapy is associated with a reduction in…
“‘I didn’t say there was nothing better,’ the King replied. ‘I said there was nothing like it.’” —Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass “Why did I get this? Was it because of my diet? What should I eat now? What diet should I follow? Are there any natural treatments I can take instead of medications?”…
A recent study of data from the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System reveals that 14 drugs commonly prescribed by rheumatologists are on the list of the top 50 drugs that can cause anaphylaxis.
Researchers found nearly all systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have autoantibodies against long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE-1) p40. These findings suggest LINE-1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy involving proximal muscle weakness and skin rash. An associated increased risk of malignancy is well established.1 The most frequent malignancies are related to the ovary, endometrium, lung, gastrointestinal tract, prostate, breast and lymphatics.2 On rare occasions, DM has been reported with certain types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, specifically cutaneous…
Rheumatologists are in the unique position of diagnosing and treating rare auto-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Although systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often has textbook presentations, it is a heterogeneous condition with a wide variety of disease manifestations. In 2019, the European League Against Rheumatism and the ACR introduced new classification criteria to help diagnose this condition.1…
Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a condition that manifests as exposed, necrotic and non-healing jaw bone in patients who have been treated with bisphosphonates, denosumab, chemotherapeutic agents, anti-angiogenic drugs, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, thalidomide and steroids.1-4 These medications are administered via intravenous, subcutaneous and oral routes to manage osteopenia; osteoporosis; hypercalcemia of malignancy; bone…