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.
DNA Methylation Profiles May Shed Light on the Evolution of Arthritis in Patients
A study found DNA methylation profiling may predict if a patient will progress from a diagnosis of undifferentiated arthritis to that of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The findings also suggest a pre-established epigenetic signature exists in patients diagnosed with undifferentiated arthritis that evolves into RA.
The Power of Power Doppler: Ultrasound Imaging in RA
At the 17th Annual Advances in the Diagnosis & Treatment of the Rheumatic Diseases meeting, Dana DiRenzo, MD, MHS, RhMSUS, discussed the use of ultrasound imaging in patients with inflammatory arthritis.
Tissue Evaluation: Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis Inside & Out
At the 17th Annual Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of the Rheumatic Diseases meeting, Clifton Bingham, MD, delves into research into rheumatoid arthritis at the cellular level.
Passive Exposure to Smoking May Increase Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk
EULAR—Passive exposure to smoking during childhood or adulthood increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a large prospective cohort study of healthy French women presented during EULAR’s 2021 virtual European Congress of Rheumatology. Moreover, the association was mainly observed among women who had themselves never smoked.1 “In this study, we found an…
A Rheumatologist & Pulmonologist Discuss RA-ILD
Introduction The understanding and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evolved dramatically in the past 20 years. As gains have been made in treating joint disease in RA, our understanding of the impact of extra-articular manifestations of RA, such as cardiac and lung disease—specifically interstitial lung disease (ILD)—has gradually increased. While rheumatologists increasingly appreciate the…
Case Report: Rheumatoid Arthritis Complicated by Large Granular Lymphocytic Leukemia
Large granular lymphocytic (LGL) leukemia is a rare, chronic, lymphoproliferative disorder of cytotoxic T cell or natural killer cell lineage with an annual incidence of 0.72 cases per 1 million people in the U.S.1 The most common subtype of LGL leukemia, T-LGL leukemia, follows an indolent disease course and accounts for approximately 85% of cases….
Dusty Trades: Inorganic Dust Exposure During Military Service May Be an Occupational Risk Factor for RA
Mounting evidence indicates that exposure to inorganic dust is a risk factor for the development of autoimmune diseases. According to a recent study, dust exposure during military service in dusty environments represents an occupational and environmental risk and was associated with a 10% increased risk of developing RA.
The Role of ANA Positivity in Patients with RA
Recent research suggests patients with RA and a positive test for anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) may not have a different disease course than patients with RA who test negative for ANA. However, these patients may experience different treatment courses.
Nonserious Infection Rates with Biologics Used to Treat RA
Bechman et al. set out to describe the frequency and predictors of nonserious infections and compare incidence rates across biologic DMARDs. They found all bDMARDs are associated with a greater risk of nonserious infection, with differences observed between agents. Although unmeasured confounding must be considered, the magnitude of effect is large.