Glucocorticoids: The Debate Continues Déjà vu … In past decades, rheumatologists have seen, heard, practiced and taught much of what has been argued in the “ongoing debate” on the use of glucocorticoids (GCs) in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).1 It is heartening to note that eminent professors have stuck to their premise all these…
For six years, the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry (PSOLAR) has collected data to assess the infection risk for drugs treating systemic psoriasis.
In late March 2012, I awoke with pain in my left hand. I had difficulty moving my metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints. They did not move smoothly, but clunked. As I repeatedly attempted to open and close my hand, I realized that I had morning stiffness. As the pain and stiffness gradually improved over the next hour,…
The Case A 68-year-old woman with a past medical history of Charcot-Marie-Tooth presents with thickening of the skin on her trunk and extremities, which she has had for the past seven months (see Figures 1 and 2). Her symptoms first began with swelling of her bilateral upper and lower extremities. She is now having difficulty…
Biomarkers for RA I read the article, “Finding Biomarkers in RA Remains Elusive Goal” (February 2015 The Rheumatologist), with great interest. The author correctly identifies the multi-biomarker disease activity assay (MBDA; Vectra DA) as a potential biomarker that identifies RA patients at risk for radiographic progression. The author names a study presented at the 2014…
In 1984, I wrote my first prescription for the antimalarial drug, hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), for a 28-year-old woman with SLE. She was considerably overweight, with inflammatory arthritis and a photosensitive rash, and I worried that oral corticosteroids would tip her over into diabetes. I presented the case to my attending, Steven Malawista, MD, at the Yale…
Lack of efficacy, poor DAS scores may be misinterpreted as a drug failure
Tips for stocking up on medications, providing comprehensive health history to new physicians and coping with stress
Coding for chemotherapy infusion with a drug reaction
Plus, updates on clazakizumab, hydrocodone bitartrate extended-release capsules and other rheumatology drug news, safety information