Because rheumatologists and mental health experts both treat patients with depression, anxiety, pain, disability and sleep disorders, provider cross-training may benefit patients and providers themselves. “When a patient has active psychosocial distress, this has a negative effect on their physical function. Similarly, if a patient has active physical symptoms, like a rheumatoid arthritis flare, this…
Doebl et al. compared the effect of symptoms and the healthcare use of people with fibromyalgia with those who fulfilled the criteria for fibromyalgia but had not been diagnosed and those with chronic pain. They found patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia reported the poorest healthcare experiences and were more likely than other study participants to be unemployed due to health issues. Their findings reveal an urgent need exists for a model of care for patients with fibromyalgia.
The Washington Rheumatology Alliance is focused on creative ways to increase the rheumatology workforce to meet the demand for care, such as instituting clinical rotations in rheumatology for nurse practitioner programs and advocating for pediatric rheumatologist loan forgiveness.
On Dec. 27, 2017, RaDonda Vaught killed Charlene Murphey, allegedly. Ms. Murphey was a lifelong resident of Gallatin, a suburb of Nashville, Tenn. She was well known from having worked at the local Walmart for 24 years, before she retired in 2012, when she was 65 years old.1 On Dec. 24, 2017, she was helping…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—A single injection into the hip of steroid and local anesthetic improved pain and function in patients with hip osteoarthritis in a randomized controlled trial, with most of the benefit seen early after treatment. Researchers at two community-based clinics in England assigned 199 volunteers to receive either an ultrasound guided intra-articular hip…
Let’s start with a couple of short riddles: What question can you never answer “yes” to? Which word does not belong in the following list: stop cop mop chop prop or crop? [The answers appear at the end of this article.] Riddles are designed to make us think beyond the obvious answer. There is usually…
If you ever want to be depressed, turn to the internet. This might strike some of you as a truism. Certainly, between the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, it is difficult to open your browser without being smacked in the face by a dismally depressing piece of news. In this particular case, however, I’m…
Rheumatologists can do better at helping systemic lupus erythematosus patients from racial and ethnic minority groups adhere to their lupus medication regimens, according to a paper published in Arthritis Care & Research. Researchers from Duke University examined medication adherence barriers from the perspectives of healthcare providers and patients. Their findings suggest more attention should be…
Over the past few years, biosimilars and other new drugs have been introduced to treat rheumatic illnesses. Some of the conditions we treat have numerous drug options; others have few or only off-label options. This series, Rheumatology Drugs at a Glance, provides streamlined information on the administration of biologic, biosimilar and other medications used to…
During ACR Convergence 2021 in early November, the ACR honored a group of individuals who have made significant contributions to rheumatology research, education and patient care, announcing the recipients of the ACR’s 2021 Awards of Distinction, as well as the group of Distinguished Fellows. recognized for their contributions. Three pediatric rheumatologists and one pediatric fellow…