SAN FRANCISCO—Research is revealing more clues about the environmental factors that likely play a role in triggering rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who are susceptible—or that may even protect them from autoimmunity. Large-scale, lengthy population studies conducted at institutions worldwide provide in-depth data from which to identify potential triggers and protective factors for RA, from…
2015 Mary Betty Stevens Young Investigator Prize Awarded to Dr. Timothy Niewold Timothy B. Niewold, MD, Mayo Clinic rheumatologist and associate professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn., was awarded the 2015 Mary Betty Stevens Young Investigator Prize at a reception held during the 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San…
SAN FRANCISCO—To unravel the mysteries of how autoimmunity begins in the body and, one day, to interrupt that process, rheumatology researchers are exploring the role of neutrophils, especially when they form and release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). At a panel discussion on Nov. 6, 2015, held at the American College of Rheumatology’s Basic Research Conference,…
At the 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Francisco in November, the ACR and the ARHP honored a group of distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to rheumatology research, education and patient care. In the December 2015 issue, The Rheumatologist reported on the ACR’s awards. This month, we speak with the ARHP winners about…
View the question. Findings/Diagnosis An anteroposterior (AP) radiograph of the right foot shows hallux valgus of the first metatarsal phalangeal (MTP) joint, erosive changes at the first and fifth metatarsal bones and degenerative changes at the fourth and fifth metatarsal-cuboid joints. An AP radiograph of the left foot shows extensive erosive and degenerative changes at…
Ethiopia has a rich, variable and distinguished history and landscape. Located in the Horn of Africa, it shares borders with Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan. Ethiopia has claim to the oldest humanoid fossils, named “Lucy,” which were discovered in 1974 and are estimated to be 3.2 million years of age.1 The country’s…
It’s a scenario that occurs all too often. After you tell someone you’re a rheumatologist, you receive that look—the blank stare, as if you’ve spoken to them in a foreign language. Six years ago, this scenario sparked a conversation among the ACR’s leaders about the importance of promoting our profession to the public, including key…
As a rheumatologist, you’re used to having goals. After all, you set your sights on becoming a physician, achieved the necessary educational degrees and passed required exams. After meeting your educational goals, you landed a job at an academic medical center or an established rheumatology practice, or you may have started your own practice. So…
Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common reasons for physician appointments. However, treatment results remain suboptimal, resulting in high rates of chronic pain, narcotic usage, surgery, depression and disability—all at great cost to individuals and the nation. One reason for this is the current practice of grouping all low back pain patients…
Two years ago, at the age of 102, rheumatologist Ephraim P. Engleman, MD, FACR, FACP, published a memoir, My Century, in which he detailed his personal and professional accomplishments, as well as his secrets to longevity. With his characteristic sense of humor, Dr. Engleman noted that the first secret to a long life is to…