With more than 152,000 taken steps in four days, top honors in the first-ever ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Walking Challenge go to Mark Phelan, MD…

With more than 152,000 taken steps in four days, top honors in the first-ever ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting Walking Challenge go to Mark Phelan, MD…
Carol Patton, with Keri Losavio |
CHICAGO—At the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in October, the ACR and the ARHP honored a group of distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to rheumatology research, education and patient care. This month, The Rheumatologist speaks with the winners of the ARHP Merit Awards about their individual contributions to advancing rheumatology. You’ll also find interviews…
CHICAGO—Findings on opioid efficacy, serum urate in osteoarthritis and arthrocentesis headlined the top research of the year discussed in the first half of a session at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. The second half covered basic science findings, including summaries of new insights into the gender bias in autoimmune diseases, platelet microparticles in scleroderma and…
The evaluation of a child with arthralgia who has a normal physical examination provides a challenge to rheumatologists. Here are some insights into assessing and treating children with musculoskeletal pain syndromes…
As of Jan. 1, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement several coding and documentation policies to provide immediate burden reduction to providers. The 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (MPFS) released Nov. 1, 2018, by the CMS contained significant changes to the Medicare Part B coding and documentation policies…
Big data can benefit rheumatology research. But according to experts at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, the data must first be accessible, interoperable and shareable…
Arthritis Care & Research |
Low muscle density due to the accumulation of intramuscular fat has been observed in RA patients and is associated with higher disease activity. New research sought to understand the relationship between muscle density, physical function and strength independent of body composition, including such factors as total and visceral adiposity. The results: Compared with healthy controls, low muscle density in RA patients was associated with low muscle mass, excess adiposity and greater disability…
CHICAGO—Joint trauma is one of many potential drivers of osteoarthritis disease activity and structural progression. In Post-Traumatic OA: Pathogenesis, Clinical Evolution and Management, a session at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, experts discussed the effects of sports and other injuries on even young patients’ joints. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (OA) may account for 12% of hip, knee…
CHICAGO—Are effective treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) on the horizon? In Emerging Treatments for Osteoarthritis at the 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting, experts discussed potential therapies to address OA structural progression, pain and inflammation. With an aging population and rising obesity rates, “we can expect the prevalence of osteoarthritis will only increase,” said Anne-Marie Malfait, MD, PhD,…
By the time Kelly Conway was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 2007, she had already been living with symptoms of the disease for 23 years. Her first symptom appeared when she was 14—knee pain that was incorrectly diagnosed as tendonitis. Over the years, she has experienced fevers and sore joints. She was diagnosed with…