WASHINGTON, D.C.—Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients taking TNF inhibitors don’t develop new cancers at a higher rate than JIA patients who don’t take TNF inhibitors, according to the largest study so far conducted to study the possible link. The findings were reported at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in an abstract session that also included…
WASHINGTON, D.C.—In the next 15 years, it will be increasingly difficult to provide adequate care for rising numbers of patients with rheumatic diseases due to a severe shortage of trained rheumatology healthcare providers, according to the ACR’s 2015 Workforce Study of Rheumatology Specialists in the United States. The full study is available online, and panelists…
Each rheumatologist’s path to the specialty is unique. Here, three practicing rheumatologists share what inspired them to become rheumatologists, what brings them fulfillment and how to bring others into the specialty…
Case A 17-year-old girl returns to the rheumatology clinic for scheduled follow-up for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). She is accompanied by her mother and father. She has a history of autoimmune cytopenias and Class III lupus nephritis. She has responded well to treatment with mycophenolate mofetil and hydroxychloroquine and was successfully weaned off of prednisone…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—A European working group has formulated consensus-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) with the goal of producing a “standard of care” for patients with JDM throughout Europe. The group is part of a European initiative called SHARE [Single Hub and Access point for pediatric Rheumatology in Europe]…
Although most systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients don’t develop macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), the approximately 10% who do have this serious complication can experience widespread, massive inflammation, debilitating symptoms and even death. To improve understanding of MAS among physicians and advance efforts to develop effective therapies to treat it, a panel of 28 international pediatric…
Medicine has traditionally been an apprenticeship model. The most elemental and constructive method of passing on knowledge is the mentor–mentee relational experience. Mentorship encompasses not only the role of teacher, but also that of coach, role model, advisor and confidante. Matthew J. Koster, MD, rheumatology fellow and instructor in medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., can…
When working with a newly diagnosed patient to determine a treatment plan, ensure the patient has a good understanding of the diagnosis, the options available and what the options entail. “It is important to help patients understand that there are choices, and that their decisions should be based on what matters to them,” says Susan…
SAN FRANCISCO—To convey the plight of rheumatology patients in sub-Saharan Africa, Girish Mody, MD, head of rheumatology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and past president of the African League of Associations for Rheumatology, recounted a story during the 2015 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting from the World Health Organization about a diabetes patient. The…
For rheumatologists, research is important, but some clinical trials may not be worth collaborating on. In a recent interview, Hermine Brunner, MD, MSc, MBA, FACR, outlined important considerations to make when deciding to participate in a clinical trial to ensure a good fit…