“Man may be the captain of his fate, but he is also the victim of his blood sugar.” —Wilfrid Oakley, MB BChir, an early pioneer in diabetes care Perusing the list of the most notable medical achievements in the 20th century, a reader may conclude that the discovery of insulin should rank in a category…
A 66-year-old woman returns to the office for a follow-up visit. She is seen by the physician assistant (PA) for her rheumatoid arthritis. She is experiencing burning pain in her right knee, and she reports that after going for her morning walk, she rates the pain at a 6 on a scale of 10. She…
(Reuters Health)—Oral glucosamine has no more effect than placebo on joint pain, according to a new meta-analysis. The analysis of randomized controlled trials from which data have been made public found that at both three-month and 24-month follow-up points, the supplement had no effect on either hip or knee pain from arthritis. Even sub-groups, such…
A new tool for assessing the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis (OA) may be useful for knee OA education. A recent study found the online risk calculator, OA Risk C, was effective in helping patients better understand their personal risk of developing the disease. It may also motivate some patients to embrace exercise-related behavior changes…
The AMA House of Delegates (HOD) met in Chicago for its annual meeting June 9–14. More than 530 HOD members were present, with several hundred AMA and association staff and guests. As I am sure you have noted from past issues of ACR@Work, the ACR is in its five-year membership review. The ACR must be…
A recent study examined the differences in T helper cell subtypes and osteoclast precursors between patients with early RA and healthy controls. Researchers found that standard treatment combined with a single dose of cholecalcipherol may better improve the general health of patients…
A study has identified several common genetic pathways between Parkinson’s disease and autoimmune diseases. Specifically, researchers have used a genome-wide conjunctional analysis to identify 17 novel loci that overlap the conditions…
(Reuters Health)—Older people who eat the most fiber are at lower risk of developing knee pain and stiffness due to osteoarthritis (OA), new research shows.1 Diets rich in fiber from plant-based foods have clear health benefits, such as lower cholesterol, better-controlled blood sugar and a healthier weight, but most people in the U.S. don’t eat…
May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. The ACR is committed to ensuring that arthritis and rheumatologic diseases are at the forefront of public awareness—and that better, safer treatments reach Americans in need. Fortunately, the federal government is also doing its part and has just released a major report on the national impact of arthritis. A…
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Experts at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting session, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus—Clinical Aspects and Treatment IV: Biomarkers, reported on a number of recent studies showing advancement in our understanding of the disease mechanisms underlying systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that place these patients at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other comorbidities. Mechanisms of CVD Risk…