The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved nintedanib (Ofev, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals) capsules to slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function in adults with systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD), which is a progressive lung disease that can be debilitating and life-threatening.
Levels of the biomarker urine C-telopeptide of cross-linked collagen type II (uCTX-II) are independently associated with radiographic severity and pain intensity in knee osteoarthritis, say researchers writing in Arthritis Research & Therapy this month.
Men with diabetes may have a higher risk of experiencing chronic lower back pain, say researchers writing in BMJ Open this month.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use contributes substantially to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease among patients with osteoarthritis, say researchers writing in Arthritis & Rheumatology last month.
Rheumatoid arthritis patients who achieve low disease activity on tofacitinib in combination with methotrexate, should be able to discontinue methotrexate safely and without significant worsening of disease activity, especially if they are having trouble tolerating it, new research shows.
When considering the evidence, it appears that rather than it being a discrete clinical entity with a unique cause, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is likely a syndrome that represents a common endpoint for a number of different causative agents.
Janssen is seeking FDA approval of guselkumab (Tremfya) for adults with active psoriatic arthritis. If approved, it would become the second IL-23 inhibitor in the U.S. market.
A proof of concept clinical trial for riociguat (Adempas, Bayer) for patients with systemic sclerosis indicates that longer treatment periods may be necessary to heal digital ulcers. In this trial, the treatment wasn't effective in reducing the number of digital ulcers.
In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate adherence is suboptimal and associated with certain demographics, medication experience, and beliefs about medicines, say researchers writing in ACR Open Rheumatology this month.
Low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) was found to be safe and well tolerated in a phase 1 and 2a trial of 12 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The treatment may be beneficial in reducing disease activity, researchers report in Sept. 1 issue of The Lancet Rheumatology.
A new study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology finds there may be a genetic explanation for the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in African American women.
Psoriatic arthritis can manifest in a variety of ways from nail disease to peripheral joint pain. But, there are a few hallmark signs that can point a rheumatologist or rheumatology nurse in the right direction. In a presentation given at the Rheumatology Nurses Society annual meeting in August, Linda Grinnell-Merrick, NP, an allergy, immunology, and rheumatology nurse practitioner at the University of Rochester Medical Center, discussed the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.
A 33-year-old man visits his doctor complaining of a thick scaly plaque on his toes and toenails and low back pain. What's your diagnosis?
Better communication between pediatric and adult rheumatologists is especially important as pediatric patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis transition to adult care. In this Q&A, we revisit a Rheumatology Nurses Society annual meeting presentation made last month by Cathy Patty-Resk, MSN, RN, CPNP, a pediatric rheumatology nurse practitioner with the Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
Review shows inconsistencies in infliximab concentrations for patients with spondyloarthritis. More research is needed to determin optimal dosages to achieve a clinical response in spondyloarthritis.
Affordability is a leading cause of drug abandonment among rheumatology patients. Back in April, the American College of Rheumatology issued a series of position statements designed to control drug costs while improving patient outcomes.
Better treatment outcomes have been documented in studies when physicians and pharmacists work together. But it can be challenging, especially with changes in policies and procedures. In this article, Lisa Schwartz, PharmD., outlines the pros of teaming up.
In this Q&A, Dr. Roy Fleischmann, the primary investigator for the phase three clinical trial of upadacitinib (Rinvoq, AbbVie), compares the new rheumatoid arthritis treatment to other treatments.
Triple therapy and methotrexate‐based biologic disease‐modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) combinations were superior to methotrexate alone for both American College of Rheumatology (ACR50) response and remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, say researchers writing in Arthritis Research & Therapy last month.
Anifrolumab, a potential new for lupus, just successfully completed a phase three clinical trial in which patients demonstrated reduced disease activity by significant margins, according to a statement issued by the drug’s maker AstraZeneca.
Lilly has announced that it received FDA approval for Taltz (ixekizumab) for the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis (radiographic axial spondyloarthritis).
This week, the British medical journal The Lancet, launched a new journal that focuses strictly on rheumatology. Aptly called "The Lancet Rheumatology," the journal's mission is to "provide an independent voice to the rheumatology community and to the millions of patients living with these conditions."
Aryeh M. Abeles, M.D., talks with Rheumatology Network about the FDA's black box label for febuxostat, a gout treatment which, according to the results of one clinical trial, was shown to be associated with an increased risk of mortality. In this Q&A, Dr. Abeles, says the decision was based on flawed data.
Nonadherence to a medication regimen is a problem in all of medicine, not just rheumatology. About 50 percent of all medications for chronic diseases are not taken as prescribed. Put another way, about two in every three Americans who have regular prescriptions aren’t taking them or aren’t taking them on schedule.
September is more than back to school and the arrival of pumpkin-spice-flavored everything. It is also Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month, a national effort created by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 2016 to bring attention to the more than 100 conditions that fall under the umbrella of rheumatic disease.
Patients diagnosed with gout at age 40 or younger may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and recurrent gout compared to those diagnosed later in life, according to a new study published in ACR Open Rheumatology.
Roughly half of patients who undergo total knee replacement subsequently experience musculoskeletal symptoms in previously unaffected bodily areas, researchers reported in ACR Open Rheumatology.
The new approval represents the third time the FDA approved the injection treatments for adults.
A missed diagnosis can have negative consequences for patients, making it critical for providers to have a better understanding of vasculitis and its related syndromes. In a presentation given at the Rheumatology Nurses Society annual meeting earlier this month, Jeffrey Kaine, M.D., an independent rheumatology consultant based in Cullowhee, N.C., discussed the challenges in diagnosing and treating vasculitis. In this Q&A, Dr. Kaine covers some of the high points from his talk.
Routine daily activities may be impossible for some arthritis patients, but are they really? This study suggests patients have not been offered evidence-based interventions that could improve quality of life.
