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 other medications used to…
A formal peer-support program for medical providers affected by stress and trauma is gradually becoming a cultural norm for rheumatologists and other physicians at Johns Hopkins University…
CHICAGO—Two experts presented insights on the diagnosis and treatment of low back and hip pain, including a refresher course on the mechanical structures involved, in Anatomy in a Day: Demystifying Low Back Pain and Lateral Hip Pain: New Patho-Anatomical Perspectives, a session at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. Low Back Pain Avoid using such terms…
CHICAGO—Can non-drug interventions improve the lives of patients with scleroderma? Janet L. Poole, PhD, OTR/L, professor and director of the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program of the School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, addressed this question when she presented the ARHP Distinguished Lecture at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. She discussed the challenges faced…
CHICAGO—Held during the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, the ACR Review Course covered a wide range of topics for rheumatologists—from advances in pain and rheumatic disease management to the intersection of rheumatology and neurology. Session speakers shared insights, as well as state-of-the-art approaches to diagnosis, management and treatment. Inflammatory Myopathies Julie J. Paik, MD, MHS, assistant…
Sara Alehashemi, MD, MPH, recalls the first time she ever stepped foot on a badminton court. It was back in 2003, when she was a 24-year-old medical school student at Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences (HUMS) in Iran. She was completing a rotation in orthopedic surgery and had been teamed up with another medical student…
A 60-year-old man returns for a follow-up related to his diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis and chronic gout of his right ankle and foot, without tophi. He reports the gout flares have subsided in his ankle. He takes 450 mg of allopurinol daily. He has rheumatoid factor-positive rheumatoid arthritis, which previously affected multiple sites, without organ…
Take the challenge. CPT: 20611-LT, J7325-EJ ICD-10: M17.12, E66.01, Z68.41 CPT: 99213 ICD-10: M1a.0710, M05.79 History—The history of present illness was extended. The review of systems was extended, and two past family social history elements were documented. This makes the history level detailed. Examination—Five systems were examined. This makes the exam level detailed. Medical decision…
Results from a 20-year, cohort study add to the evidence that depression increases the risk of developing an autoimmune disease, specifically SLE in women. Lead investigator Andrea Roberts, PhD, says, “There may be direct biological effects of depression that increase the risk of autoimmune disease.”…
On Feb. 13, the ACR co-sponsored Arthritis 101, its biennial arthritis advocacy lunch briefing at the U.S. Capitol, highlighting the disproportionate impact of rheumatic disease on active members of the armed forces and veterans. The event, co-sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation (AF), is part of the ACR’s effort to support inclusion of $20 million in…