CHICAGO (Reuters)—On May 13, U.S. health officials said they will issue an alert telling doctors to report cases of a rare life-threatening inflammatory syndrome associated with COVID-19 in children to their state and local health departments. The alert from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be released on Wednesday or Thursday,…
Diagnosing Anti-MOG Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
A case study of a 7-year-old girl who is eventually diagnosed with anti-MOG autoimmune encephalomyelitis highlights the necessity of a multi-disciplinary approach to inflammatory brain disease…
How to Proceed When Kids Present with Joint Pain but Normal Exams
CHICAGO—When it comes to correctly diagnosing joint pain in children, “things take time,” said Michael L. Miller, MD, quoting Danish physicist and poet Piet Hein. Children with pain but normal physical examinations may need to return to the clinic for repeat evaluation over several months. “I often tell parents that laboratory tests may help in…
Arthralgias in Children: What to Do When Kids Present with Joint Pain
The evaluation of a child with arthralgia who has a normal physical examination provides a challenge to rheumatologists. Here are some insights into assessing and treating children with musculoskeletal pain syndromes…
Rituximab Use Increasing in Treatment of Pediatric Vasculitis
According to a large cohort study of pediatric patients, rituximab use is on the rise in the treatment of children diagnosed with vasculitis. Treatment with cyclophosphamide remains common, but it’s beginning to wane. Dialysis and mechanical ventilation also remain common, the study indicates. The retrospective study of hospitalized children in the U.S. included the largest…
Tocilizumab a “First Choice” for PHID Syndrome
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Tocilizumab should be the “first choice” for treatment of the autoinflammatory and cutaneous manifestations of pigmentary hypertrichosis and non-autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (PHID) syndrome, say clinicians from the U.K. PHID syndrome is an extremely rare autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by mutations in the SLC29A3 gene. Children with the syndrome develop patches…
Help Pediatric Patients Overcome Pain & Anxiety
Pediatric rheumatology patients present unique challenges. According to Kyla Driest, MD, MEd, using age and temperament appropriate methods, such as distraction or icing, may help children manage pain and ease anxiety…
Molecular Differences Between Pediatric & Adult Psoriasis Plaques
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The pathology of pediatric psoriasis differs from that of adult psoriasis, a finding that has implications for treatment, researchers suggest. “Pediatric psoriasis often differs from adult psoriasis in presentation, triggers, natural history, and response to therapy, suggesting potential differences in the pathophysiology of the disease processes,” Dr. Kelly Cordoro of the University…
Pediatric Rheumatologist Shortage Spurs Need for Adult Specialists to Treat Children with Rheumatic Conditions
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Addressing a gathering of healthcare providers at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting concurrent session titled, Pediatric Rheumatology for the Adult Rheumatologist, part of the ACR Review Course, expert Sangeeta Sule, MD, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics specializing in rheumatology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, displayed a color-coded map of the U.S. on which…
Biomarkers Differentiate Crohn’s Disease from Ulcerative Colitis
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Newly identified biomarkers could aid in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and help guide therapy, Canada-based researchers report. Accurately differentiating between Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) is important for ensuring early and appropriate treatment. However, the conditions can’t be reliably distinguished based on clinical symptoms, site of disease,…