A recent paper in Arthritis & Rheumatology opens up the possibility of a new research avenue to treat systemic sclerosis: dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors, a previously approved therapy for type 2 diabetes.1 Work in mouse models and on skin samples from systemic sclerosis patients suggests these drugs pose a promising area of future translational…
A strong association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infections and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been known since the 1970s. Although the etiology of SLE is not fully established, multiple genetic factors and polymorphisms in genes involved in the immune system have been implicated, with environmental factors also contributing to the development of this complex condition….
Presidential Gold Medal The highest award the ACR can bestow, the Presidential Gold Medal is awarded in recognition of outstanding achievements in rheumatology over an entire career. This year’s award went to James O’Dell, MD, the Stokes-Shackleford Professor of Internal Medicine, vice chair of internal medicine and chief of the Division of Rheumatology at the…
ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—At the ACR’s fully virtual annual meeting on Saturday, Nov. 7, Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984, delivered a special lecture on COVID-19, from virology to therapy to vaccine development. Novel Coronavirus, Familiar Vectors When Chinese physicians first reported infections by what…
2020 has not only borne witness to a global pandemic, but also to increasing fervor in the fight for racial equity. In a wave of opposition to the systemic racism in the U.S., people have been in the streets demonstrating and protesting against social injustice and have taken to social media to promote political action….
On April 5, 1950, a small group of scientists met in Silver Spring, Md., to talk about geophysics. I know this is not the most riveting way to start, but if you stick with me, I promise the story will get much more interesting. This group of scientists met to discuss all that was still…
Ironically, chronic exposure to minocycline has also been associated with a variety of autoimmune syndromes, including drug-induced lupus, autoimmune hepatitis, serum sickness and vasculitis.1 Minocycline is associated with an 8.5-fold increased risk of drug-induced lupus.2 Minocycline and nitrofurantoin are implicated in 90% of cases of drug-induced autoimmune hepatitis.3 Minocycline-induced vasculitis is much less common and,…
Ultrasound may provide unique insights into the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors on the human body beyond the immune system. Research suggests synovitis and inflammatory tendon involvement are commonly seen in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced inflammatory arthritis.
An observational study found treatment with tofacitinib resulted in only a slightly higher rate of venous thromboembolism than tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Physical inactivity significantly affects disease burden and reduces the overall quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to a study from Losina et al. The researchers calculated the total quality-adjusted life-years lost for U.S. patients with OA due to inactivity.