A 2019 update of the ACR’s previous clinical practice guideline on axial spondyloarthritis is now available online. Lead investigator Michael Ward, MD, shares advice for implementing the guideline updates, including those related to sequencing and tapering biologics, and knowing when to obtain images.
Methotrexate (MTX) remains the predominant medication used by rheumatologists to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Doses of 7.5–25 mg per week with daily folic acid are generally prescribed. Despite its common use, MTX must be prescribed cautiously given the potential adverse effects when taken incorrectly or without folic acid supplementation. Cases of MTX-induced cutaneous ulceration have…
(Reuters Health)—People with pets may be able to use their companion animals to practice techniques for managing chronic pain without medication, researchers say. In focus group interviews, pet owners over age 70 with chronic pain said their pets brought them joy and laughter, helped them relax, kept them active and promoted other good habits that…
When Liz Morasso, LCSW, facilitates a Families Living with Rheumatic Diseases support group at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, she empathizes with the struggles and challenges of her young patients. Ms. Morasso was only 16 years old when she was diagnosed with both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). She knows all too well…
Type I interferon appears to play a role in disease susceptibility and pathogenesis in several classic connective tissue diseases, at least in some patients. Below, I present evidence supporting this connection, explore potential missing links in pathogenesis and discuss biological treatments that target the pathway. The Type I Interferon Pathway Interferons are a class of…
Recent research shows bimekizumab may improve patient-reported outcomes and quality of life for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients…
Kim Steinbarger, PT, MHS, knows how physical and occupational therapy can make a difference for patients with rheumatic diseases. Ms. Steinbarger was just two years into her career as a physical therapist (PT) when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 1991. “I’ve seen how regular exercise serves as an important tool in managing…
Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic multi-system autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and subsequent destruction of exocrine glands. Sjögren’s syndrome can present with glandular or extra-glandular manifestations. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune disease that can present as the initial manifestation in less than 5% of patients with Sjögren’s….
An integral part of the rheumatology care team, social workers can address specific issues related to a patient’s overall wellbeing. Here are some insights into how rheumatologists can better partner with social workers as part of the interdisciplinary team to ensure better patient outcomes…
Eosinophilic fasciitis generally presents with the acute onset of edema followed by progressive skin induration in the setting of hypergammaglobulinemia, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and peripheral eosinophilia in 63–93% of patients.1,2 Skin involvement is typically limited to 20.1% of total body surface area and most commonly involves the extremities symmetrically.1,3 The condition was…