Rheumatoid Arthritis

White blood cells may be the cause of rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study from Northwestern Medicine.

A drug designed to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis could also make them more susceptible to shingles, according to the results of a recent study.

A patient with rheumatoid arthritis declines to take pain relievers. His wife says he needs them, but won't admit it. What should be done?

Researchers are testing promising new biologic agents that target different aspects of the inflammatory pathway in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

In recent years, introduction of biologic agents for treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has changed the landscape of RA management.

People who smoke and have more sodium in their diets than others could also be more likely to eventually develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a recent study.

Biologics have added a decade to the lifespan of rheumatoid arthritis patients since only the start of this century. The impact of age on that treatment has been a subject of intense study.

Combining results from studies involving nearly 12,000 rheumatoid arthritis patients finds the fusion protein etanercept less likely than other TNF inhibitors to be discontinued due to infections.

For the first time a study has linked prednisone and other drugs, as well as severity of disease, with difficulty conceiving among women who have rheumatoid arthritis.

Could MRI detect the early signs of danger in patients who have not yet manifested symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis? New research suggests it can.

To "Thunder God Vine" from China, add fish oil and gluten-free diets as alternative remedies for rheumatoid arthritis. What is the evidence? Here, a review plus commentary from an expert.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have a 1-in-4 chance of developing chronic kidney disease, according to research published in the American Journal of Kidney Disease.

Explanations for the "gender factor" in rheumatoid arthritis risk now include factors unique to the immune response among women, phenomena specific to pregnancy, and perhaps environmental factors including cosmetics.

The DAS28 disease-activity score has made the transition from research to clinic, but in some circumstances it may be misleading. A tool developed by a rheumatologist can help you explore how changes in components like ESR affect the score in unexpected ways.

Cardiovascular risk is known to be increased among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the interplay between inflammatory and cardiovascular causes and the possible role of medications muddle the picture. No wonder, perhaps, that rheumatologists have difficulty managing this risk. Here, some guidance from experts on the question.

Rheumatologists can dramatically reduce the chances of an infection common to RA patients on biologics -- pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) – with a simple regimen of prophylactic antibiotics, a small study suggests.

There's limited study of whether disease-modifying drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, with the exception of methotrexate and anakinra, present a risk to a fetus. However, curiously, adverse pregnancy outcomes may increase a healthy mother's risk for developing RA.

Tocilizumab (Actemra) appears to dampen inflammation, increase hemoglobin, and improve inflammatory anemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), judging from post hoc analysis of a randomized late-stage clinical trial.

A study from the Netherlands has found a range of minimum serum levels of adalimumab that are associated with a good clinical response in rheumatoid arthritis. As in other studies, adding methotrexate helps.

ACR2013: A new study from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden suggests that hormone therapy may reduce the risk for ACPA-positive rheumatoid arthritis.

Two new strategies for breaking through the tangle of pathways to identify those most important to rheumatoid arthritis treatment converge on a shared goal: personalized medicine.

ACR 2013: Debates about drug costs in rheumatoid arthritis dominated discussions at ACR this year, and one session was formally billed a debate. Will less-costly triple therapy someday be mandated for early RA?

During their "Great Debate" keynote session of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2013 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA, two leading rheumatologists took direct aim at each other's significant clinical trial data to provide rationale for choosing biologics over triple therapy - or vice versa - as the treatment of choice for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Recent English-language guidelines agree that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) needs to prompt treatment. But the definition of "early RA," and the regimens, differ considerably.

A tocilizumab-methotrexate combo appears to inhibit circulating biomarkers of joint tissue remodeling at sites of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis.