A pediatric rheumatologist diagnosed with RA following the birth of her first child talks about integrative care & offers tips for helping patients reduce the symptom burden.
Glucocorticoids in RA
The historical & continuing roles of glucocorticoids in the treatment of RA are discussed.
Marching to the Biosimilar Beat: Questions on Rollout Remain
The availability of biosimilars for the treatment of patients with rheumatic diseases exploded in 2023. Here’s where we stand and what to expect going forward.
Guideline for Integrative RA Interventions Released
Discussions between clinicians and their patients about complementary aspects of their care just got easier with the release of the 2022 ACR Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis.
RA Disease Activity & Alcohol Consumption Habits
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.
Research Update: Using Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Rheumatic Disease
Over the past decade, a number of pilot studies have provided proof of concept for the use of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to treat rheumatic conditions. The studies represent an expansion of this treatment approach into rheumatology, building on years of scientific inquiry into the mechanisms of VNS on disease states that led to preclinical…
Anti-P. copri Antibody Responses in Patients with RA
Background & Objectives Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease associated with immune responses to the patient’s own antigens and characterized by inflammation and substantial joint destruction. Prevotella copri, a gut commensal bacterium, has been reported to be an immune-relevant organism in individuals with RA. This study sought to evaluate antibody responses to anti-P….
Cardiovascular Safety with RA Treatments
Research by Chicre et al. found that Janus kinase inhibitors may significantly increase the risk of major adverse cardiac events and all-cause death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when compared with other RA treatments. This study highlights the need for more comparative safety studies.
Difficult-to-Treat RA Definition & Management Considerations
Despite an expanding armamentarium of disease-modifying treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), some patients with RA remain symptomatic.1 Current treatment guidelines from both the ACR and the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommend treat-to-target strategies to achieve remission or low disease activity, and patients want to feel better.2,3 So how can we best help…
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.