Rheumatoid Arthritis

It was "like a truck had run over me," says Andrew Lumpe, Ph.D., a patient who shares his experience with methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis.

It’s been reiterated time and time again but the evidence holds true – smoking leads to worse health outcomes. However, smoking increases the risk of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The symptoms and pathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) worsened in mice models, which were missing the enzyme needed for serotonin synthesis, according to findings published in The American Journal of Pathology.

During sleep, when patients appear most still, their inflammatory systems are most active. Rheumatology Network interviews Maurizio Cutolo, M.D., who recommends prednisone at night.

The choice of a biologic agent for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may influence a patient’s risk of serious infections.

Synovectomy could lead to more complications in RA patients after total knee arthroplasty, shows a study presented at the 2016 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting in Orlando this week.

For rheumatology patients, opioids have more immediate risks than addiction, says the University of Michigan's Daniel Clauw, M.D., in an interview with Rheumatology Network.

In early rheumatoid arthritis, disease activity and pain do not necessarily occur in parallel.

A head-to-head test of seven biologic agents finds that all are similarly effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Hormone-related metabolic pathways in early rheumatoid arthritis may be at play, study shows.

Anakinra shown to significantly reduce pericarditis in patients with highly inflammatory disease and elevated CRP protein.

Can a person’s overall diet affect the development of rheumatoid arthritis? A new study shows that it can, especially for high-risk people.

Researchers have found several urinary biomarkers that may be used to predict rheumatoid arthritis activity and prognosis.

A new study finds promise in the combination of toclizumab and methotrexate as a treatment for early rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatology Network examines common comorbidities in rheumatoid arthritis and their role in limiting mobility.

Tuberculosis infections are the most common opportunistic infection in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with tofacitinib.

Anti-CarP antibodies associated with increased disability and higher disease activity in patients with inflammatory polyarthritis.

Repetitive intraarticular corticosteroid injections to the temporomandibular joint do not prevent progressive osseous deformation nor normalize mandibular growth in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

A study in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders suggests that multinucleated giant cells (MGC) may contribute to osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in addition to their known association with synovitis severity. The finding adds to other recent research and points to the therapeutic potential of targeting MGCs to improve pain and joint damage in both types of arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis there is an ongoing debate about what to do when methotrexate fails. Physicians typically have two choices.

Biologics can improve the quality of life for RA patients, but side effects remain a problem, especially for RA patients with co-morbidities.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is low among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Improving fitness improves risks for cardiovascular disease and coupled with combination therapy, may lower disease activity as well as foster increased physical activity, recent studies show.

Study shows that adalimumab led to sustained clinical and functional responses in nearly one-third of treatment-refractory patients who completed 10 years of treatment. Patients with shorter disease duration achieved better outcomes, highlighting the need for early treatment.

Evidence continues to emerge that biologics-in combination with DMARDS-offer a solid line of defense for patients with rheumatoid arthritis at risk of rapid disease progression .

Tocilizumab treated rheumatoid arthritis patients are at an increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events, according to a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.