Past studies have suggested that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who consume a moderate amount of alcohol may experience lower disease activity and higher quality of life than non-drinkers. In this study, Alfredsson, et al. confirmed earlier studies’ claims that alcohol consumption reduces disease activity in a dose-dependent manner, and also indicated that patients who stopped drinking post-baseline experienced worsened disease activity, more pain and a lower quality of life.
Remission Definitions in RA: Common Questions & Implications for Clinical Practice
A recent editorial provides new insights by reexamining the definitions of remission for rheumatoid arthritis and outlining concerns with the use of specific metrics for remission in clinical trials.
The Dual-Target Strategy in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Put Patients First
The impressive progress of medical knowledge and technology reinforces our trust in the scientific methodology that made it all possible. However, that progress also creates risks related to the primary goal of medical care: to serve our patients’ interests and enjoyment of life in the best possible way. In this article we present our views…
Study Finds Health & Financial Benefits in AxSpA Treat-To-Target Strategy
EULAR 2020 e-CONGRESS—In what speakers at the European e-Congress of Rheumatology described as the first treat-to-target and tight control (T2T/TC) strategy trial in axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA), researchers found such a strategy has both health and financial benefits. In the year-long study—called TICOSPA—centers were randomized to apply either a T2T/TC strategy or care left to the…
The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index’s History & Patient View
Sir William Osler, widely regarded as one of the greatest physicians of the 20th century, once said, “He who studies medicine without books sails an uncharted sea, but he who studies medicine without patients does not go to sea at all.”1 This sentiment is particularly true in the field of rheumatology, in which understanding the…
Make RA Outcomes Measures Work for You
Expert tips for collecting and analyzing RA patient data
To Measure is to Know
Piet van Riel, MD, PhD, shepherd of RA improvement criteria
Letters to the Editor
Feedback from Our Readers
Readers Answer ‘Twenty Questions’
The March Rheuminations column, “Twenty Questions, Part 1” inspired many letters from TR readers. Here are just a few of those responses.
Target Remission
Strategies to identify and track remission in your RA patients