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Results from a joint-specific scoring system with reference atlas and ultrasonographic image acquisition in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis demonstrated moderate to excellent reliability for scoring of synovitis.

Rheumatology Network interviewed Nicholas Brisson, PhD, to discuss his recent study, “Association of machine learning based predictions of medial knee contact force with cartilage loss over 2.5 years in knee osteoarthritis." The study discovered that machine learning was able to develop an equation for predicting medial tibiofemoral contact force (MCF) peak, which supports the theory that mechanical loading directly contributes to disease progression.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Rheumatology Network's highlights from the week ending May 21, 2021.

An observational study indicated that the majority of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were of childbearing age were not currently using contraception and were not counseled on contraception practices by their physician.

Patients with gout maintained therapeutic response at 6 months when treated with a combination of methotrexate (MTX) and pegloticase, as opposed to pegloticase therapy alone.

Investigators utilized study data to further investigate the concept of patient-defined remission and identify which factors were associated with patient-defined remission or low disease activity.

A combination of adalimumab (ADA) treatment and patient support programs (PSPs) may reduce opioid use and increase medication adherence.

While COVID-19 vaccinations have been prominently featured in the news, other vaccinations are also important. How much do you know about use of general vaccinations for for patients with rheumatoid arthritis?

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Rheumatology Network's highlights from the week ending May 14, 2021.

Patients with psoriatic arthritis and minimal disease activity who continued ixekizumab therapy fared significantly better than those who stopped using the drug, including fewer relapses related to disease activity.

Recent analysis indicated that a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis pervaded every facet of a patient’s perception of physical activity (PA), both as motivators and as hinderances. These results may be helpful in ultimately creating a PA strategy that can support each individual and improve clinical practice.

As systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and/or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) can cause complications during pregnancy, investigators believe it is imperative that women follow the clinical practice guidelines and receive multidisciplinary counseling before trying to conceive.

Caregivers are a rheumatologist's most important allies. Learn the warning signs of caregiver burnout and how to combat the symptoms. Remember: their health is prerequisite to patient care.

Analysis indicates women with thinning or weakened bones were at an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events.

The therapy was generally well-tolerated and offered substantial pain relief in patients.

Bryant England, MD, PhD, discusses his study, "Risk of COVID‐19 in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A National Veterans Affairs Matched Cohort Study in At‐Risk Individuals." Investigators found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not only at a higher risk for contracting COVID-19, they are more likely to have severe outcomes, such as hospitalization and death, when compared with the general population.

A recent study explores the correlation between work obligations and anxiety in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Poor quality of life due to self-isolation has been reported in this patient population.

"Our results suggest that there are likely to be certain treatments that will confer preferential response in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors and IL-17 medications, compared to other options," stated Jeffrey Curtis, MD.

New data show NSAIDs treatment not associated with worse in-hospital mortality rates compared to patients not treated with NSAIDs.

Take 5 minutes to catch up on Rheumatology Network's highlights from the week ending May 7, 2021.

New data show rheumatoid arthritis and immunosuppressive treatment associated with more severe risks of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are more likely to suffer from knee-related symptoms and impaired activities of daily living, indicating a possible link between hyperandrogenism and early clinical osteoarthritis.

An analysis of data from more than 12,000 women in Asia is shedding new light on the prognostic value of BMD for predicting risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in aging women.

Catch up on Rheumatology Network's most recent highlights in psoriatic arthritis news.

Both patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) and those at-risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had a significantly different oral microbiome when compared with a control group. Most notably, the pro-inflammatory discriminative zero-radius operational taxonomic units (zOTUs), Prevotella and Veillonella, were much more prevalent in these groups than in patients with no history of autoimmune conditions.

Patients with oligoarticular psoriatic arthritis (PsA) receiving apremilast monotherapy fared better than those who initiated methotrexate (MTX) therapy or biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) initiators.

A new study is challenging the notion that certain types of fractures, such as lower arm or wrist fractures, do not signal increased risk of subsequent fractures among postmenopausal women.

Patients receiving csDMARDs had a significant reduction (40%) in non-serious infection (NSI) risk when compared with biologics.

Poorer results were associated with lower socioeconomic status (SES) and not being able to access telehealth, which emphasizes the need for access to healthcare and attention to vulnerable populations, such as those with rheumatic diseases, during the pandemic.

While men with inflammatory arthritis drink significantly more alcohol and have less severe disease activity, alcohol is not linked to disease remission.