Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in connective tissue disease (CTD) features significant morbidity and mortality. Standard therapies with endothelin receptor antagonists and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors have shown some clinical improvement in patients, but these clinical improvements have proved modest when compared with other types of PAH. As our case below suggests, rituximab may show promise as a…
In the complex web of interactions between systemic inflammatory response, rheumatic disease and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), what is the potential for using rheumatologic therapies to treat other medical conditions linked to inflammation? Some medical researchers have looked at cardiac conditions, and others have examined the overlap with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Positive effects…
(Reuters Health)—Middle-aged women who get poor quality sleep have elevated levels of inflammatory markers, suggesting their risk for heart disease and other illnesses may be increased, U.S. researchers say. Based on sleep monitoring and blood tests of 295 women, most of whom were past menopause, researchers found those who had trouble falling asleep or who…
SAN DIEGO—Will rheumatologists soon be able to use data from genetics and genome-wide association studies to more accurately predict disease and develop new therapies for rheumatic diseases? At a Nov. 5 session at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, experts shared their views on how to glean this useful knowledge from genomics studies. The cost to develop…
New research from the CDC evaluated the prevalence of healthcare provider counseling for physical activity as a management strategy for arthritis. Researchers found that although healthcare provider counseling for exercise has increased during the past decade, 40% of patients with arthritis do not receive this counseling, resulting in a greater prevalence of physical inactivity for this patient population…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of serious infections, myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary heart disease (CHD), an analysis of Medicare claims data suggests. “Higher disease activity as measured by a panel of biomarkers was associated with higher rates of hospitalized infections, MI and CHD events. These findings add…
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a disease characterized by immunologic abnormalities, microvascular involvement and tissue fibrosis. In previous studies, 10-year survival rates ranged from 50–84%. However, there are concerns that these studies, using prevalent cohorts, are underestimating mortality. “While the prognosis of many rheumatic diseases has improved with the availability of more effective and targeted therapies,…
How are comorbidities for RA patients managed outside of rheumatology? A recent Canadian study developed and assessed quality measures related to preventive care and screenings for RA patients in a primary care setting, comparing RA and non-RA patients. The results: Primary care physicians often provide similar levels of care to patients with and without RA. But RA patients were less likely to receive some cancer screenings and all necessary tests to assess their cardiovascular risk…
May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. The ACR is committed to ensuring that arthritis and rheumatologic diseases are at the forefront of public awareness—and that better, safer treatments reach Americans in need. Fortunately, the federal government is also doing its part and has just released a major report on the national impact of arthritis. A…
(Reuters)—Canadian drug maker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. said it had priced its recently approved plaque psoriasis treatment at $3,500 per month, ahead of an expected U.S. launch in the second half of 2017. Brodalumab (Siliq) is the lowest priced injectable biologic psoriasis treatment currently on the market, Valeant says. Drugmakers are facing intense criticism from…