The body uses B cells to produce antibodies that can fight off infection by invading antigens and bacteria. But in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system produces autoantibodies that work against the body’s proteins to attack joint tissues. Researchers believe this process is helped along by autoreactive B cells that live in bone matter and…
The ACR’s newest journal, ACR Open Rheumatology (ACROR), launched in 2019 with all articles published in full online. The journal publishes high-quality, rigorously peer-reviewed articles on original investigations in rheumatology research, including basic science, clinical science, epidemiology, health outcomes and education, as well as commentaries and reviews. Open access is on the rise. A 2017…
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…
I was honored to be invited by Paula to write this column about my aspirations for the ACR’s future. As one might expect, I am also humbled by the prospect of trying to encapsulate the vision that has already been so elegantly provided by ACR leadership and its board of directors: “As the leading authority…
I knew I shouldn’t look. I was driving 60 miles per hour, heading north on I-95, trying to get to the George Washington Bridge before dusk. It takes a certain fatalism to drive through New York City if you are not a native. Ninety percent of the drivers sharing the road with you know exactly…
When evaluating patients with possible myopathic symptoms, rheumatologists must consider a rare, but important, group of inherited disorders: the metabolic myopathies. However, their diagnosis often remains a challenge. Early recognition of these primary metabolic myopathies is essential to help prevent disease morbidity and mortality from rhabdomyolysis. Here, we focus on the metabolic myopathies that present…
A clinician’s ability to determine which patients are at greatest risk for hip or other fracture is improving with the use of algorithm-based fracture risk calculators…
Detecting interstitial lung disease in RA patients can be challenging. But evaluating risk factors and the use of imaging can help clinicians identify and manage this condition in patients…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Adding high-dose teriparatide to denosumab therapy leads to substantially greater increases in bone-mineral density (BMD) than combination therapy with low-dose teriparatide, a new phase 4 study shows. “The combination of denosumab and teriparatide, particularly with high-dose teriparatide of 40 ug daily, may be of benefit to patients at very high risk of…
Pain can deter patients with rheumatic disease from engaging in physical activity. But the latest research shows exercise helps reduce pain, & other influences may also affect patients’ activity levels, particularly after surgery…