Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. … The potential for greatness lives within each of us. —Wilma Rudolph, U.S. Olympic sprinter & winner of three gold medals From Spinnaker to Wheelchair It can be an unnerving experience when the patient you are about to see is young and…
Radiographic imaging showed circumferential soft tissue swelling of the ankle with a soft-tissue density seen in the tibiotalar and posterior subtalar joints, as well as a large, lobulated effusion. MRI of the left ankle shows cystic changes within the talus and first cuneiform bones, as well as a lobulated abnormal soft tissue density with low…
SAN FRANCISCO—A broadening of the medical community’s horizons in how pain is regarded and treated in older adults, including those with osteoarthritis and other rheumatic diseases, is sorely needed, a researcher said at the 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. Incidence Studies show that a large percentage of older adults each year see physicians for such issues…
Ophthalmologists may be more likely to initially diagnose and treat scleritis, an inflammation of the scleral tissues of the eye. However, rheumatologists need to remain aware of the condition as well: It’s commonly associated with rheumatic disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Scleritis can present in the eye anteriorly or posteriorly. “Anterior scleritis can be…
SAN FRANCISCO—As researchers have delved into the genetics behind osteoarthritis (OA), genes that appear to be players in the disease have emerged, but there have also been curveballs thrown, with expectations not always matching up to the genetic realities, an expert said at the 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting. The genetic risk of acquiring OA is…
Many rheumatologists chose the profession because they wanted to delve more deeply into rheumatic diseases than internal medicine calls for. “For most, this level of specialization is sufficient and worthy of a lifelong devotion and commitment,” says S. Sam Lim, MD, MPH, associate professor, Medicine and Epidemiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta. “However, some…
New research examines how the generation of reactive oxygen species and neutrophil extracellular traps may break down the protective mechanisms of mitochondrial DNA, resulting in NETosis in people with autoimmune disease. They found oxidized mitochondrial DNA may contribute to inflammation in such diseases as systemic lupus erythematosus by upregulating type I interferon signatures…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Routine osteoporosis screening in men is a good value and effective based on a cost-effectiveness model, researchers say. “Osteoporosis is not just a disease for women. Osteoporosis affects many men (approximately 2 million in the U.S.), with significant morbidity, mortality, and costs that are projected to rise with the aging of the…
It was sixth grade, and Pierre Moeser—now a rheumatologist in St. Peters, Mo., who had already lived in his share of countries, saw a kid’s stamp collection displaying seemingly endless nations. Then and there, he got hooked on philately, “which is not just studying stamps, but also postal history and related items,” says Dr. Moeser….
A 47-year-old Caucasian woman presented to the rheumatology clinic with a one-year history of pain and swelling involving the wrists, hands, ankles and feet that progressively worsened. Her symptoms included generalized fatigue, morning stiffness in the hands and lower back lasting more than an hour, Raynaud’s phenomena (triphasic), photosensitivity, tightening of the skin of the…