Case Presentation The patient was a 42-year-old African American female diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) based on the findings of polyarthritis, malar and discoid rash, fatigue, positive double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) ribonucleoprotein and Smith antibodies, and low serum complement levels. Her SLE had been well controlled on hydroxychloroquine 400 mg daily, oral methotrexate 25 mg…
A 56-year-old African American man presents to the emergency department with polyarthralgias and a fever of 103ºF. One month prior to admission, he presented with right knee pain and swelling. Blood cultures grew S. epidermidis. He was treated for presumed septic arthritis complicated by MSSE bacteremia. He was treated with meropenem and a prolonged course…
Case A 46-year-old Caucasian female presented to the outpatient rheumatology clinic where she had been followed for several years. Her chief complaint was pain in her right knee, posterior right thigh and right hip that had begun gradually over the previous three weeks. Her past medical history was significant for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), obesity and…
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday declined to approve a new drug for rheumatoid arthritis made by Eli Lilly and Co and partner Incyte Corp, the companies said on Friday. The FDA indicated that additional clinical data was needed to determine the most appropriate doses of the drug, baricitinib…
The side effects of rheumatic conditions and their treatments can cause symptoms some may find awkward or embarrassing to discuss with their physicians. But Ara Dikranian, MD, says rheumatologists must address intimacy issues, both physical and emotional, with all patients…
Injectable abaloparatide is being evaluated in the U.S. and Europe to treat postmenopausal women with osteoporosis…
In a clinical trial, RA patients on sirukumab experienced decreased disease activity and improved physical function…
The clinical practice guidelines for managing Sjögren’s syndrome, developed by the Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation with the ACR, were designed to improve quality and consistency of care. In total, 19 recommendations were agreed on, which include managing the rheumatic and systemic aspects of the disease. Recommendations include a decision tree for the use of DMARDs for inflammatory musculoskeletal pain, use of self-care measures and exercise to reduce fatigue, and the use of rituximab in selected clinical settings for oral and ocular dryness…
When compared with TNFIs, ustekinumab demonstrated a longer drug survival rate in patients with severe plaque psoriasis…
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Researchers at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting discussed how they are exploring the immune system in search of groundwork for new rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatments. The new avenues, supported by the Rheumatology Research Foundation, involve T cell adhesion, new understanding of the role of macrophages and insights into the way IgG glycans function. T…