Women remain underrepresented in research and may receive less funding than men, according to a recent study that describes differences in sex representation among U.S. National Institutes of Health study sections.
Musculoskeletal disorders pose a large burden globally, but that burden is often underappreciated. Safiri et al. set out to provide a global overview of this burden, reporting the levels and trends of prevalence, deaths and disability-adjusted life years due to musculoskeletal disorders according to age, sex and sociodemographic factors.
COVID-19-related deaths are significantly higher in communities with higher proportions of Black, Latinx, Asian American or other racial/ethnic minorities.
In this study, Fatima et al. analyzed how well the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) disability index predicts future all-cause mortality in patients with early RA (i.e., with a symptom duration of less than one year). A total of 1,724 patients with early RA were included. The researchers found that a higher HAQ score and Disease Activity Score at one year were significantly associated with all-cause mortality.
The 2020 Basic Science Year in Review covered autoantibody origin and persistence, insights into the major histocompatibility complex and factors in rheumatoid arthritis progression and relapse.
In this large placebo-controlled trial, Sparks et al. examined the predictors and severity of pulmonary adverse events (AEs) in patients taking low-dose MTX. The researchers found that low-dose MTX increased the risk of pulmonary AEs, including possible pneumonitis.
Preclinical models have provided important insights into the pathogenesis of OA and potential pathways for therapeutic intervention, including adenosine. Ticagrelor and clopidogrel are both used in patients with coronary artery disease, but only ticagrelor increases extracellular adenosine levels. In this study, treatment with ticagrelor was associated with a 29% lower risk of developing OA than treatment with clopidogrel over five years of follow-up.
The SELECT-EARLY MTX-controlled trial examined the safety and efficacy of upadacitinib, a potent, reversible jakinib, as monotherapy in patients with moderately to highly active RA and poor prognostic features who are either naive for or have limited exposure to methotrexate.