AMSTERDAM—It’s been many years since adipose tissue came to be appreciated not just as a store of energy, but also as a regulator of metabolism and an important player in immune function. Rheumatology researchers continue to drill down into the role of fat cells in the search for mechanisms that could reveal targets for the…
Honestly, I’m not sure why I bothered to listen. I was in my kitchen, early on a Saturday morning, with the radio keeping me company. It started with the news and the usual litany of tragedies, both major and minor, that comprise such programs. The news gradually faded into other programming, which I can no…
Rheumatologists and orthopedic surgeons must frequently collaborate to provide optimal patient care. Sometimes, they may even work at the same practice and form a care team for easy collaboration. Still, patient management from both specialties can be challenging, and specialists from both sides can learn from each other. How Crossover Starts Rheumatologists and orthopedic surgeons…
CHICAGO—The promise of precision medicine—the tailoring of treatment to a given patient based on genetics and other factors—has probably been best illustrated in oncology, with therapies targeted specifically to markers expressed on tumors. But rheumatology is in the thick of precision medicine as well, said Judith James, MD, PhD, chair of the arthritis and clinical…
Could your lupus patients benefit from limiting exposure to chemicals at home and in the medical environment? It’s a strong possibility, according to the preliminary findings of a research team investigating DNA methylation disruption in patients with SLE…
Bill St.Clair, MD, MACR, says one of the most exciting and proudest moments in his life wasn’t earning his medial degree or seeing his first published article on arthritis and rheumatology. Not even close. It was the 1991 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball semifinal. Specifically, the basketball game between Duke University and the University…
When Paul Sufka, MD, a rheumatologist with HealthPartners Medical Group and Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., wants to connect with his colleagues or keep abreast of the latest rheumatology journal articles, he turns to Twitter. Dr. Sufka is one of many rheumatologists who have found effective ways to incorporate social media into their medical…
In March, the ACR released a white paper designed primarily to help rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals gain an understanding of biosimilars.1 This research-based education piece examines the scientific, economic and prescribing issues related to the use of biosimilars. Now, the ACR has released an update to its official position statement on the use of…
SAN DIEGO—Since the identification of the autoinflammatory disease, familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), researchers have identified an alphabet soup of other autoinflammatory diseases with genetic underpinnings, from PAPA (pyogenic arthritis with pyoderma gangrenosum and acne) to NIAID (NLRP1-associated autoinflammation with arthritis and dyskeratosis) to TRAPS (TNF receptor-associated periodic syndrome). The torrent of discoveries, brought about largely…
From working a temp job in the shipping department to organizing teacher training, maintaining an antebellum mansion and learning the ins and outs of professional medical practice, David Haag has had a career in membership societies that has been anything but boring. And as of this March, he finds himself in pursuit of his next…