Although gout is one of the most effectively treated of all rheumatic diseases, it is among the worst-managed diseases long term, as shown by many studies. “Treatments are excellent, yet are dramatically under-utilized,” says Theodore Fields, MD, FACP, rheumatologist, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), New York. “This is because some gout patients feel better between…
If you thought the presidential election was a tough choice, imagine selecting this year’s slate of ACR/ARHP award winners. At the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in Washington this 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 this issue,…
(Reuters Health)—Obese people who have weight loss surgeries, such as gastric bypass, are much less likely than those who don’t have surgery to develop gout, a painful type of arthritis, according to a Swedish study. People who chose to get weight loss surgery are also less than half as likely to develop hyperuricemia, too much…
Statins have anti-inflammatory/immunomodulatory effects that may be useful in preventing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but previous observational studies about the risk of RA with statin use yielded conflicting results. In this large population-based study, high-intensity statin treatment was associated with a 23% reduced risk of RA when compared with low-intensity statin treatment. This is the largest study on the association of statins with RA risk to date, and the first to assess the effect of relative statin strength…
(Reuters Health)—Playing team sports, especially soccer, at the elite level may lead to a higher risk for osteoarthritis, but the existing research is of such low quality it’s hard to say for sure, according to a recent review. In an analysis of past studies filled with conflicting results, researchers found that long-distance running was the…
We read the case report by Dr. Diana Girnita and colleagues (“Severe Refractory Gout: What options are left when pegloticase fails?” The Rheumatologist, August 2016) with interest. A case is reported of a subject with 20 years of chronic refractory gout who failed to respond to pegloticase therapy, and the potential roles of anti-drug antibodies or…
Established wisdom holds that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will fare better if their disease is diagnosed as early as possible, and treatments with disease-modifying drugs are started before inflammation can do more damage to joints and tissue. Usually, early diagnosis means spotting the clinical signs of disease, but new research tells us more about…
Are too many patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia? The co-authors of one new study believe that close to 75% of patients who have received a clinical fibromyalgia diagnosis do not meet the 2010 Preliminary American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria for Fibromyalgia.1 They say these patients are false-positive and may be taking treatments they don’t need….
Many reasons exist to strive for high patient satisfaction, including those related to maintaining certification requirements, risk management, reimbursement and simply having a competitive practice, but the most important one is that by achieving high patient satisfaction, you will find that your patients will be more motivated and more engaged in their individual care, says…
Connect with colleagues at the Basic Research Conference (BRC) and the Clinical Research Conference (CRC) pre-meeting courses at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting! The ACR has an exceptional array of research leaders lined up for this year’s BRC and CRC sessions on Friday, Nov. 11, and Saturday, Nov. 12 in Washington, D.C. Get ready to…