BALTIMORE—Understanding issues regarding pregnancy in women with rheumatic disease is important to patients and physicians alike, said Bonnie Bermas, MD, the Dr. Morris Ziff Distinguished Professor in Rheumatology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, in her recent lecture at the Maryland Society for the Rheumatic Diseases.The physiologic changes in normal pregnancy, which include increased circulating…
Traditional X-rays, move over—there may be a new gold standard for joint imaging to assess even the smallest changes that can signal the onset of arthritis, as reported recently in the journal Scientific Reports.1 Utilizing the combined expertise of radiologists, rheumatologists and engineers, University of Cambridge researchers developed an algorithm to monitor the joints of…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule for the Quality Payment Program (QPP) year 3 (CY 2019) on Nov. 1, 2018. Below, we have compiled a list of key changes to ensure MIPS-eligible clinicians are accurately reporting for CY 2019: New MIPS-eligible clinician types: Physical therapist, occupational therapist, qualified speech-language…
Mirtazapine has been prescribed off-label to fibromyalgia patients who have not responded to other treatments. However, a recent systemic review found no difference between mirtazapine and placebo for these patients, and any potential benefits from mirtazapine may not outweigh its potential harm, including drowsiness, weight gain and liver damage…
The FDA has approved subcutaneous tocilizumab for treating active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis in pediatric patients as young as 2 years old…
Patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy syndrome (LRS) may wonder if physicality of their jobs contributed to the development of their symptoms. A recent systematic review sought to identify LRS work-related risk factors. Researchers found that bending and lifting of the trunk, both alone and in combination, may contribute to LRS…
“I think I’m mentally sharper when I have been exercising and taking care of myself,” says Chris Phillips, MD, a rheumatologist in solo practice in Paducah, Ky. Dr. Phillips has recognized these benefits since high school, when he began participating in competitive sports. Four years ago, Dr. Phillips was competing against 40 other cyclists in…
A patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) comes to your office and needs a medication. You prescribe it, and the patient’s insurance plan covers it. The patient begins the medication and slowly but surely feels better. Prescribing drugs for a patient should be this simple but rarely is, thanks to the high cost of drugs and…
1. A 45-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of primary osteoarthritis returns to the office for her second scheduled injection of sodium hyaluronate (Supartz). The nurse takes the patient’s vitals: weight is 185 lbs., height is 5’2”, and temperature is 98.2°F. The patient is prepped and given the injection. How should this encounter be coded?…
Mounting evidence suggests that humans have a complex and integrated mind-body system. Knee problems may affect the spine and other body parts, but also the mind—and vice versa. This is the wisdom of Ayurveda, the 3,000-year-old traditional medicine from India. A team of researchers from Germany recently undertook a study, titled “Effectiveness of an Ayurveda…