News

Belimumab (BEL) Improves Renal Outcomes in Active Lupus Nephritis (LN): A Phase 3 Randomized, Placebo (PBO)-Controlled Trial

Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents are the two primary classes of drugs used to treat lupus nephritis. Now, a new study shows that the addition of the monoclonal antibody belimumab to standard therapy may make a meaningful difference in this hard-to-treat patient population.

A possible new treatment for advanced lupus nephritis passes a phase two trial, a

A possible new treatment for advanced lupus nephritis passes a phase two trial, according to a study presented at Kidney Week, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nephrology. The treatment, a CD20 antagonist called obinutuzumab, led to improvements in 41 percent of patients with lupus nephritis—a condition that affects one in 60 people with systemic lupus.

Allopurinol Doesn’t Slow Kidney Disease

The gout treatment allopurinol doesn't appear to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease in patients with moderate to severe loss of kidney function, shows a study presented yesterday at the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week annual meeting.

$50,000 economic burden of lupus nephritis

Treatments for lupus nephritis can cost patients over $50,000 a year, according to a study presented yesterday at the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week annual meeting.

children juvenile arthritis diabetes

Children who take oral corticosteroids for autoimmune conditions, such as juvenile arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease or other conditions, like asthma, have an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and blood clots, say researchers writing in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

total joint surgery osteoarthritis

A new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons shows that patients with advanced osteoarthritis who undergo total joint replacement, significantly lower their risk of falls after surgery as compared to patients who opt out of surgery.

Surgery May Be Best Option for Sciatica

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year of patients with sciatica lasting longer than four months due to lumbar disk herniation, finds that microdiskectomy was superior to nonsurgical care in controlling pain six months post-op.

A year from now, with all the luck and scientific progress in the world, we’ll be free to roam again. There may be a whole raft of new stressors waiting for us, but the work you do now to help keep your patients mentally healthy will pay off in meaningful ways.

Rheumatoid Arthritis As Two Diseases

The underlying pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis with and without autoantibodies may be different. Researchers say that "it is time to formally subdivide RA into type 1 (with autoantibodies) and type 2 (without autoantibodies)."

Rheumatology news roundup

In this week's news roundup from Rheumatology Network, we highlight this week's leading stories including two stories on new developments in osteoporosis treatment. In one, a physician-scientist describes "a crisis in the treatment of osteoporosis" due to severe side effects. Learn more about this story and others in this week's news roundup.