Editor’s note: What research on psoriatic arthritis (PsA) presented at ACR Convergence 2024 has the greatest potential for a positive impact on clinical care, treatment options or serve as the basis for future research? That’s the question The Rheumatologist asked David S. Pisetsky, MD, PhD—our founding editor—to consider. Dr. Pisetsky, a professor of medicine and immunology…
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…
(Reuters Health)—Age-adjusted hip fracture incidence has declined in the U.S. over the past four decades, aided by a decline in smoking and alcohol consumption, a new study suggests. Researchers examined data on 4,918 men and 5,634 women who participated in the prospective Framingham Heart Study from 1970 to 2010. Overall, the age-adjusted incidence of hip…
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases. One hypothesis is that inflammation in the respiratory tract results in autoantibody formation that later leads to disease. Kronzer et al. set out to narrow the knowledge gaps related to the oral-respiratory factors that may mediate RA pathogenesis.
It’s no secret to any health professional, including rheumatologists, that smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco-based products is unhealthy. Yet how does smoking specifically affect rheumatic diseases, and what are some of the newest findings in this area? What role do e-cigarettes have in the smoking risk landscape? Those are the sorts of questions asked…
(Reuters Health)—Adults who quit smoking decades ago may have a lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than people who gave up cigarettes more recently, a U.S. study suggests. Smoking has long been linked to an increased risk of RA, and quitting can reduce this risk. But the new study offers fresh evidence that years of…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Obesity in women and current smoking in men appear to be the strongest predictors of lack of remission in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) within one year, according to new research presented June 13 at EULAR 2018, the annual meeting of the European League Against Rheumatism, in Amsterdam.1 Even though early identification and…
Systemic autoimmune diseases are thought to result from immune dysregulation in genetically susceptible individuals who were exposed to environmental risk factors. Many studies have identified genetic risk factors for these diseases, but concordance rates among monozygotic twins are 25–40%, suggesting that nonheritable environmental factors play a more prominent role.1,2 Through carefully conducted epidemiologic and other…
FDA Review of Baricitinib Delayed The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the review period for baricitinib, an investigational medication for treating moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).1 Baricitinib is a once-daily oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor currently in clinical studies for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The New Drug Application (NDA) for baricitinib…
Wash your hands. This most basic tenet of proper hygiene has been drummed into our heads for years. It’s an obvious infection prevention activity, yet for years, compliance among physicians and other caregivers has been lackluster. To rectify this matter, regulatory agencies began auditing hospital staff adherence to this axiom of infection prevention. Not only…