Inflammation in the knee was found to be associated with development of pain sensitization in recent research with a cohort from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST). This research finding may indicate that targeting of inflammation could help reduce pain severity in knee osteoarthritis (OA). Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD, says that her and her colleagues’ research,…
Picket Lines: June 27 was marked on my calendar as the day to watch. No doubt the union organizers shrewdly selected it to be their strike day because of its proximity to July 1, an auspicious date for teaching hospitals, when rookie interns and residents anxiously assume their heightened roles of responsibility within the medical…
Ixekizumab Improves Work Productivity in Patients with Plaque Psoriasis Indirect costs of reduced work productivity can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life. A recent article published in JAMA Dermatology analyzed the results of three multicenter, randomized double-blind Phase 3 trials, UNCOVER-1, UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3, which evaluated the effect of ixekizumab on…
When the head of the division steps down, how do you mark that event? The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University-Chicago hosted a day-long symposium to honor Richard M. Pope, MD, who had been chief of the division for 27 years, according to Harris Perlman, PhD, the new chief of the Division of Rheumatology. Richard…
LONDON—The availability of a biosimilar form of infliximab has dramatically increased the number of Norwegians taking one form or another of the drug, an expert on biosimilars said in a debate-style session at the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR 2016). The expanded uptake of Remicade (infliximab) and its biosimilar, Remsima (international…
A study that found distinct sexual dimorphism in the immunologic profiles of patients with ankylosing spondylosis (AS) suggests that sex is an important variable to address in future research and may eventually lead to more effective sex-specific therapy for patients with the disease. The research, published in the March 2016 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology,…
The use of biosimilars for rheumatology in the U.S. became a reality when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Inflectra (infliximab-dyyb), a biosimilar to Remicade (infliximab), in April. What this may mean is increased competition among drug companies with regard to pricing and, therefore, potentially lower costs for U.S. patients, according to Seoyoung…
Amir Atwal* is a 76-year-old man who had a knee arthroplasty six weeks ago: He wonders how he is doing in comparison to other individuals of his age at the same stage of recovery. Will you be able to provide him with an answer? If you are looking for a one-stop shop to help you…
For people in whom symptoms of Lyme disease persist beyond the standard course of two to four weeks of antibiotic therapy, longer term antibiotic treatment provides no additional benefits beyond the shorter term course. This is the conclusion of a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that builds on a number…
Take the challenge. Correct Answer: CPT: 99204 ICD-10: I73.00 Coding Rationale This is a new patient, outpatient visit for a self-referred patient. There is no formal consultation request from another physician; therefore, the encounter does not meet criteria for a consultation. This encounter is coded as 99204 because it included: Comprehensive history—Extended history of the…