A 54-year-old African American man arrived at the emergency department with the acute onset of a tender mass on the left side of his neck. It had been getting progressively larger for the preceding two days. History & Examination His history included chronic right hip osteoarthritis with two surgeries performed five years prior. At his…
During the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, the new Meet the Professor Workshops and sessions will feature hands-on training on state-of-the-art topics…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Anti-fracture medications do not reduce overall mortality in older patients with osteoporosis, according to an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. “This meta-analysis suggests drug treatments, including treatment with bisphosphonates, for osteoporosis should be recommended only for the prevention of fracture and not for any additional reduction in mortality,” researchers write in JAMA…
In September 2018, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) granted fast-track status to FCX‑013, a gene therapy product developed to treat moderate to severe localized scleroderma (morphea). Previously, the treatment received an orphan drug designation for localized scleroderma, as well as a rare pediatric disease designation. Phase 1 and 2 studies will assess safety…
Autoinflammatory diseases are genetically diverse, but clinically similar, conditions distinct from autoimmune illnesses, such as systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis. Clinically, they are defined by recurrent episodes of inflammation that follow a characteristic pattern each time they occur. Some have a set length of time during which fever, peritonitis or arthritis manifest. Others are…
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), also known as Churg-Strauss syndrome or allergic granulomatosis and angiitis, is a rare small- and medium-vessel vasculitis. This disease was first described by American pathologists Jacob Churg and Lotte Strauss in 1951.1 Although the vasculitis is often not apparent in the initial phases of the disease, EGPA can affect any…
Although the true cause of systemic sclerosis (SSc), or scleroderma, remains unknown, researchers have made progress in detecting the autoimmune disease’s early presence. Beyond the physiological signs of Raynaud’s phenomenon, a capillaroscopy can detect alterations in microcirculation and lab tests can confirm the presence of telltale autoantibodies, such as anti-topoisomerase 1, anti-centromere and anti-RNA polymerase…
Historically, the early approach for treating interstitial lung disease (ILD) due to systemic sclerosis (SSc) involved immunosuppressant therapy, primarily with cytotoxic agents.1 Glucocorticoids in combination with another immunosuppressant agent, such as oral azathioprine or cyclophosphamide, were often used to treat patients with severe, progressive SSc-ILD.2 However, direct evidence to support this therapeutic approach was lacking…
Over the past few years, biosimilars and other new drugs have been introduced to treat rheumatic illnesses. Some of the conditions we treat have numerous drug options, others have few or only off-label options. This series, “Rheumatology Drugs at a Glance,” provides streamlined information on the administration of biologic, biosimilar and small molecule inhibitor drugs…
(Reuters Health)—Many patients who receive assistance from charities set up to defray prescription drugs costs may already have insurance that covers most the cost for their medications, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on the six largest independent charities offering patient assistance programs through 274 different disease-specific programs. These programs had total revenue ranging…