Rheumatology

Summer is the season for enjoying a sizzling steak, perhaps accompanied by some grilled asparagus and a frosty tankard of beer. For most, this quintessential summer meal would provide a delicious ending to a busy day, but for patients with gout, it is a recipe for hot, burning joints.

Scaling Mt. Everest is a tremendous achievement even for the fittest of climbers. For those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, it was unheard of-until now.

National Scleroderma Awareness Month, a time dedicated to drawing attention to the disease symptoms, prevalence, and related conditions.

A new guideline on the most effective treatments for patients with diabetic nerve pain-The Evidence Based Guideline: Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy-was released by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) in collaboration with the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electro-diagnostic Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology

The level of osteoporosis knowledge is low among patients with fractures in spite of a high volume of available information.

A variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies show promise for contributing to pain management, according to research presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society (APS), held recently in Austin, Texas.

The results of gout studies reported at the 2011 Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism.

According to a recent study, gender may be linked to an increased risk of suffering from complications of an ACL injury.

Use of the newer biologic agents in the treatment of patients who have arthritis does not increase their risk of cancer, according to data presented at the 2011 Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), held recently in London.

The Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR), a new multidimensional questionnaire for assessment of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, combines the traditional patient-reported outcomes (PRO) used in clinical evaluation with other PRO.

Regional cancellous bone mineral density (BMD) can be approximated from Hounsfield units (HU) measured on CT examinations using automatic exposure control; this information is reliable and follows a predictable pattern with increasing age.

The economic burden associated with the inflammatory myopathies is substantial.

Women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) may experience significant reductions in pain after preferred-intensity or prescribed-intensity exercise.

Uniform application of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is hampered by difficulty in defining a high rheumatoid factor (RF) level because of the variation in RF levels obtained with the use of different methods.

Interprofessional learning may be effective for dissemination of guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Such a method has the potential to improve the delivery of arthritis care.

A 45-year-old Hispanic male physician, a nonsmoker, presented with crippling, nonerosive, seropositive, symmetrical polyarticular arthritis that involved his wrists, hands, elbows, knees, and feet.

Accurate diagnosis of elastofibroma dorsi may be achieved with a proper clinical history, knowledge of the characteristic site of the lesion, and typical imaging findings to avoid unnecessary biopsy and surgery.

Quadriceps (rectus femoris) strains are common among athletes, usually after kicking or sprinting. Learn about imaging tests for diagnosis and the exercises that encourage healing and rehabilitation.

Reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has emerged as a problem in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Anti–tumor necrosis factor α therapy is strongly associated with reactivation of tuberculosis (TB) in patients with RA.

Recent studies have shown that TNF inhibitors and hydroxychloroquine may also reduce the risk of diabetes in people.

Ellen Shmueli, living with rheumatoid arthritis for more than 10 years, describes her road to overcoming and controlling her condition.

The Food and Drug Administration has deemed canakinumab unsafe for consumers, despite its effectiveness for treating acute flares of gout.

A new treatment for treating Gout can normalize levels of uric acid in the blood within hours in patients who have failed to respond to any other treatments.

A 2008 study found that treating elderly RA patients with TNG-alpha antagonists may increase their risk and exacerbate heart failure.

A study found that in recent-onset active RA, regular medication adjustments based on disease-activity scores improves clinical outcomes.

This study identifies a polymorphism in the TRAF1/C5 region increases the susceptibility to and severity of RA.

Joint aspiration may be used for diagnosis or for relieving pressure, and joint injection may be used for treatment. Physicians can easily become proficient in aspiration and injection techniques. Indications for aspiration include both acute and chronic arthritis; there are few absolute contraindications. Intra-articular injections of medication usually are an adjunct to other treatment modalities.

NSAIDs are among the most frequently used and prescribed medications in the management of musculoskeletal pain and injury. Many physicians consider them to be the medication of choice. However, a number of studies have questioned the value of NSAIDs in the healing process of bone, muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries

Misdiagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) occurs frequently in the clinic. In our case report, a 27-year-old woman with recurring neck pain and stiffness had received a diagnosis of cervical spondylosis, but later a definitive diagnosis of FMS was made. Misdiagnosis of FMS has occurred with various other diseases.