NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Compared with cyclophosphamide, rituximab treatment poses less malignancy risk in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), European researchers report. Dr. Emma E. van Daalen of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands tells Reuters Health, “Previous studies reported an increased malignancy risk in patients with AAV, which has been associated…
Patients with Parkinson’s Disease Are at Risk for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Patients with Parkinson’s disease may be at risk of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). New research examined why patients with Parkinson’s have a higher incidence of CTS than that of the general population. The study found that those patients who underwent subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation to monitor them for neuropathy may develop CTS…
Rheumatologists Should Discuss with Patients Use of Immunomodulatory Agents During Pregnancy
The decision to continue or discontinue immunomodulatory medications during pregnancy is a difficult one for both patients and physicians. On the one hand, when left untreated, rheumatic conditions can cause harm to an unborn child, as well as to the pregnant mother. On the other hand, medications can be harmful to a developing fetus. In…
Revised Retinopathy Screening Guidelines State Risks Linked to Hydroxychloroquine, Chloroquine
A large medical specialty society for ophthalmologists recently updated its recommendations for the screening of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) retinopathy.1 The recommendations from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) affect patients who may use CQ or HCQ for rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as well as some inflammatory and dermatologic conditions. The…
Ocular Disease Monitoring Critical to Avoid Retinal Toxicity from Hydroxychloroquine
Both due to its efficacy and favorable side effect profile when compared with alternative drugs for rheumatologic conditions, hydroxychloroquine is an important agent in rheumatologists’ armamentarium. However, one barrier to hydroxychloroquine use can be its effects on the eye (also see “Revised Retinopathy Screening Guidelines,”). Ocular side effects of hydroxychloroquine can include impact on the…
Statins & the Risk of RA
Statins have anti-inflammatory/immunomodulatory effects that may be useful in preventing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but previous observational studies about the risk of RA with statin use yielded conflicting results. In this large population-based study, high-intensity statin treatment was associated with a 23% reduced risk of RA when compared with low-intensity statin treatment. This is the largest study on the association of statins with RA risk to date, and the first to assess the effect of relative statin strength…
Preclinical Phases of Rheumatoid Arthritis Better Understood
LONDON—Research continues to advance in understanding the causes, prediction and management of the stages of early arthritis before full-blown clinical disease, and an expert highlighted some of the latest of these encouraging findings at the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2016. Many of the genetic and environmental risk factors are known,…
Tacrolimus Use for Lupus Nephritis Raises Debate over Role in North American Population
The following summary regarding use of tacrolimus (TAC) in lupus nephritis highlights a number of debatable points. Although the role of TAC in lupus nephritis remains unproved for North American populations, it might be an excellent option in some clinical situations. These situations include lupus flare during pregnancy and also for lupus nephritis when the…
Blacks, Asians at Higher Risk for Allopurinol-Related Skin Reactions
Be careful when prescribing allopurinol to black and Asian gout patients, a study newly advises. Black and Asian patients who take this ubiquitous, more-than-40-year-old medication are at much higher risk of certain serious skin reactions than are Caucasians or Hispanics. Compared with Caucasians, blacks who take allopurinol to lower blood urate levels have an increased…
Psoriasis May Carry Atherosclerosis Risk Similar to that with Diabetes
(Reuters Health)—People with psoriasis may be at increased risk of coronary artery calcium buildup, comparable to that of people with diabetes, according to a new study. Comparing people in their 50s with psoriasis, diabetes or neither disease, researchers found that moderate to severe calcium buildup was about five times as common in people with diabetes…
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- Next Page »