Rheumatoid Arthritis

In the third edition of #rheumjc, author (and Twitter regular) John Cush MD discusses a report from a summit on management of pregnancy and lactation in women with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Inflammation in the gums and mouth bacteria may be a trigger behind the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, according to findings presented at the 93rd General Session and Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research.

Leisure time activity such as biking or walking can reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Levels of health literacy dictate how long patients wait before seeking help from their physician, especially in the case of rheumatoid arthritis.

Flare ups from rheumatoid arthritis can increase the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, according to research from the Mayo Clinic.

You see a 29-year-old female insurance saleswoman with a 6-week history of joint pains and swelling affecting both hands and wrists, both feet and her left knee. Her symptoms are worse when she first gets up in the morning and it takes a few hours before her joints seem to loosen up.

The increased insulin resistance seen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared to non-RA controls did not contribute to additional atherosclerosis risk, according to research published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Exercise can reduce depressive symptoms in patients with arthritis and rheumatic diseases, according to a recently published meta-analysis.

A study has demonstrated improvements in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who took part in exercise and/ or nutritional interventions.

Tocilizumab was safe and effective for RA patients in comparison to tocilizumab plus DMARD therapy.

Rheumatoid arthritis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension have similar survival rates, according to research published in Respirology.

Tofacitinib affects response to the pneumonia (but not the influenza) vaccine in rheumatoid arthritis patients, especially those also taking methotrexate.

Although there is not an existing blood test that can identify early-stage osteoarthritis (eOA), a new biomarker finding documented in Nature Scientific Reports could be the first step in developing one.

Rescue and recovery workers who spent prolonged amounts of time at Ground Zero following the 9/11 terrorist attacks face a significantly higher risk of systemic autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, according to a new study.

Signs of frailty cannot be contributed solely to aging, and may be a combination of sedentary lifestyles and inactivity, according to research.

Treatment with abatacept can help patients with early rheumatoid arthritis maintain remission even after tapering or withdrawing all other therapy, according to research published from Belgium.

Discontinuing disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have achieved remission is safe, according to research published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.

The good news: At best, intraarticular hyaluronate injected into the knee for osteoarthritis (OA) is modestly effective. The bad news: At worst, it’s indistinguishable from placebo, in some meta-analyses.

Evaluating a 29-year-old female business executive with complaints of joint pains and stiffness affecting both hands and wrists, both feet and her left knee. She has reported these symptoms for the past 3 weeks.

Researchers in Germany have figured out the process by which interleukin 4 (IL-4) inhibits inflammation, pointing the way toward a possible treatment for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases.

Rheumatoid arthritis patient care costs can be reduced using the Attribution, Integration, Measurement, Finances and Reporting of Therapies (AIM FARTHER) model developed by researchers at Geisinger Health System in Central Pennsylvania.

Gut and urinary tract infections may prevent rheumatoid arthritis onset, according to research from the Karolinska Institutet.

Contrary to popular opinion, exercise programs may relieve joint and muscle stiffness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis can potentially be treated by targeting the super or stretch enhancer regions, according to research results published in Nature.

There's good reason why it's difficult to "catch" rheumatoid arthritis early enough to assure remission. Patients with early symptoms seek care only when they sense a threat. (Can this be solved?)

Rheumatoid arthritis pain has been alleviated in half of patients enrolled in a study which used an electrical implanted device to emit magnetic pulses at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Methotrexate and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors may be associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis, according to a meta analysis of previous studies.

Due to overlapping clinical and immunologic features between Chikungunya virus and rheumatoid arthritis' (RA) symptoms, Washington University in St. Louis researchers warn rheumatologists to be alert for potential misdiagnoses.

Online social support groups and game versions of websites can aid rheumatoid arthritis patients, according to new research.

Joint inflammation could be reduced in rheumatoid arthritis patients by targeting a specific enzyme, according to research from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.