tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-156447222009-10-14T01:16:59.218-07:00There are over 100 different forms of arthritis. How to diagnose and manage arthritis requires a comprehensive aproach that includes problem-solving skills. The clinician must take into account systemic illness, psychosocial stressors, patient and family expectations, etc. This site is dedicated to the world of arthritis: experiences, treatment and diagnostic advances, procedure skills, visions for the future, and the practice of medicine in general.Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-49531883279823470582007-09-20T10:20:00.000-07:002007-09-20T10:44:04.758-07:00

This is a recent article form eRheumatology News. The evidence of improvement not only in symptoms but also in Xray changes and delay to joint replacement is welcome news. The device appears to be safe, something I cannot say for most non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)Volume 6, Issue 8, Page 22 (August 2007)Douglas Garland, MDDR. GARLAND is the director of the division of

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-90054060817512647642007-05-22T06:46:00.000-07:002007-05-22T06:53:51.026-07:00

This is an article published in the Bulletin on the Rheumatic Diseases. It provides a good, consice reivew of the evidence supporting use of steroid injections into the joints. While somewhat technical, it dispells many of the myths that are propagated in the community. Sadly, many physicians are at fault of perpetuating these myths. Evidence Based Medicine supports the use and safety of this

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-71943913374500324352007-04-30T20:02:00.000-07:002007-05-03T08:10:35.924-07:00

From Medscape Medical NewsFebruary 28, 2007 — The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued new guidance discouraging the use of both cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors and regular nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in patients with known heart disease or those thought to be at high risk of getting heart disease.The statement, published online in the February 26 Rapid Access issue

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1152650971825726012006-07-11T13:33:00.000-07:002006-07-11T13:49:31.840-07:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 10 - Long-term treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with adalimumab is generally safe and well tolerated, according to a report in the July issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.More than one million patients have been treated with tumor necrosis factor antagonists, including adalimumab, the authors explain, but safety concerns persist.Dr. Michael H. Schiff

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1152537313401316612006-07-10T06:13:00.000-07:002006-07-10T06:15:13.416-07:00

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ) June 14, 2006 What is it?Recently reports have described a dental condition, ONJ, in which bone in the lower jaw or less commonly the upper jaw becomes exposed, typically after a dental extraction or some other trauma to the jaw, and the wound that occurs fails to heal in the usual time frame. Infection in the area can occur and the area may be painful. This can

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1147044080662931532006-05-07T16:03:00.000-07:002006-05-18T06:42:14.906-07:00

The GAIT trial (Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and the two in combination for painful knee osteoarthritis) was recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study was designed to answer the question of wether or not Glucosamine has any benefit in treating patients with osteoarthritis. It compared three treatment groups: Glucosamine, Chondroitin, Glucosamine and Chondroitin,

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1146791539123517022006-05-04T18:11:00.000-07:002006-05-13T05:48:40.846-07:00

Over the last several months there has been a few articles that highlighted the benefits of intraarticular (IA) corticosteroid injections (cortisone shots to the joint). My bias in clinical practice has been for sometime to opt for IA injections in lieu of oral or intramuscular corticosteroid injections. I feel the clinical response is more robust and there appear to be less systemic side effects

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1141659316511454022006-03-06T07:34:00.000-08:002006-03-25T04:01:25.706-08:00

from Medscape Medical NewsRituximab (Rituxan) for Refractory Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid ArthritisOn February 28, the FDA approved a new indication for rituximab injection (Rituxan, made by Genentech, Inc, and Biogen Idec, Inc, and marketed as MabThera in Europe), allowing its use in combination with methotrexate to reduce signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1139411191880179612006-02-08T07:05:00.000-08:002006-02-08T07:06:31.893-08:00

from Medscape Medical Newsby Laurie Barclay, MDFeb. 3, 2005 — Local steroid injection initially may be better than surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), according to the results of the first randomized trial published in the February issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism. At three months, symptomatic relief was better with injection; by six months, surgery was not statistically significantly better

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1136385788473385632006-01-04T06:37:00.000-08:002006-01-04T06:43:08.486-08:00

From Jointandbone.org, by Janis Kelly. San Diego, CA - Losing even a small amount of weight can reduce pain, relieve stiffness, and improve daily functioning for patients with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis (OA), in some cases more effectively than a coxib, Dr Susan J Bartlett (Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD) reported at the 2005 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting [1]."A

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1136302233282508902006-01-03T07:29:00.000-08:002006-01-04T14:05:39.483-08:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 30 - For patients with early, aggressive rheumatoid arthritis (RA), treatment with a combination of adalimumab (Humira, Abbott) and methotrexate leads to a better clinical response than treatment with either agent alone, according to results of the PREMIER study.Dr. Ferdinand C. Breedveld, from Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, and his colleagues

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1135871977902992212005-12-29T07:57:00.000-08:002005-12-29T07:59:37.916-08:00

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MDFrom Medscape Medical News.Dec. 28, 2005 — Exercise and calcium supplementation improve bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women, according to the results of a 4-year study reported in the December issue of Osteoporosis International."The good news is these long-term data confirmed the potent combination of improved nutrition and increased physical

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1135867430605997872005-12-29T06:42:00.000-08:002005-12-29T06:43:50.616-08:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) Dec 27 - Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. said on Friday that it has won U.S. approval to sell a new type of drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis.The drug, Orencia (abatacept), is the first approved T-cell co-stimulation modulator. It is administered by monthly intravenous infusion.Orencia was approved for treating moderate to severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis that do not

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1135792580181184702005-12-28T09:54:00.000-08:002005-12-28T09:56:20.193-08:00

From Medscape Medical News.NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 22 - Topical diclofenac gel applied four times daily relieves symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) of knee, results of a German study demonstrate.Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have considerable gastrointestinal toxicity, Dr. Fritz U. Niethard and colleagues note in the Journal of Rheumatology for December, whereas systemic

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1134484993403292372005-12-13T06:42:00.000-08:002005-12-13T06:43:13.413-08:00

From Medscape Medical newsBy David DouglasNEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 08 - Intra-articular glucocorticoid injections appear to protect cartilage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Swedish researchers report in the December issue of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. In addition, subsequent bed rest seems to improve results.Dr. Tomas Weitoft of Gavle Hospital and colleagues note that

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1133449472973126402005-12-01T07:03:00.000-08:002005-12-01T07:04:32.986-08:00

Nov 25, 2005 Janis KellySan Diego, CA - TNF inhibitors and methotrexate (MTX) decrease the risk of death, especially cardiovascular (CV) death, in rheumatoid-arthritis (RA) patients, whereas prednisone increases mortality, Kaleb Michaud (Stanford University, CA) reported at the 2005 ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting [1].According to Michaud, anti-TNF use was associated with a reduced risk of

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1132166117335758552005-11-16T10:34:00.000-08:002005-11-16T10:35:17.346-08:00

From Medscape Medical News by Martha KerrNov. 15, 2005 (Dallas) — An analysis of data from a nationwide registry shows that the use of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors is contraindicated in acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients. The data also show that only low doses of nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be used in this population, because the drugs

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1131716473553485562005-11-11T05:39:00.000-08:002005-11-11T05:41:13.566-08:00

News Author: Yael WaknineFrom Medscape Medical NewsNov. 9, 2005 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved safety labeling revisions to advise that celecoxib therapy is linked to risks for cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, and dermatologic adverse events.Celecoxib (Celebrex) Linked to Multiple Adverse EventsOn July 29, the FDA approved safety labeling revisions for the

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1131544590101775172005-11-09T05:54:00.000-08:002005-11-09T05:56:30.113-08:00

By Anne Harding NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Nov 08 - A new study provides additional evidence that folic acid can reduce the efficacy of methotrexate.Methotrexate inhibits dihydrate folate reductase and thus reduces levels of folate in the body, Dr. Dinesh Khanna of the University of Cincinnati in Ohio noted in an interview with Reuters Health. This can lead to mouth sores and other side

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1131541532196334182005-11-09T05:04:00.000-08:002005-11-09T05:06:52.200-08:00

Rheumawire news (from Jointandbone.org)November 7, 2005 Janis KellyBrussels, Belgium - Dr Jean-Pierre Devogelaer and colleagues in the Belgian Bone Club report a set of evidence-based guidelines for the prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteoporosis in Osteoporosis International [1]. The guidelines largely validate what has been standard practice for many clinicians but

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1131030238385984172005-11-03T07:01:00.000-08:002005-11-03T07:03:58.396-08:00

From Biocritique.comThe goal of this study was to determine the cancer pattern of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from both prevalent and incident RA cohorts and understand the risk of solid cancer after treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. The investigators took a population based study of 3 RA cohorts (1 prevalent), admitted to the hospital 1990 – 2003 (N=53,060), 1

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1130871738082999762005-11-01T10:59:00.000-08:002005-11-01T11:02:18.096-08:00

Author: Laurie Barclay, MD. From: Medscape Oct. 28, 2005 — Exercise improves the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content of the knee in patients at risk for osteoarthritis (OA), according to the results of a randomized trial reported in the November issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism."The effects of exercise on human cartilage are largely unknown because, until recently, investigators have been unable to

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1130416726119922342005-10-27T05:32:00.000-07:002005-10-27T05:38:46.130-07:00

Steroids for RA: The argument heats up againOct 18, 2005by Janis Kelly, RheumawireSt Louis, MO and Rochester, MN - A group of researchers from the Mayo Clinic propose in an editorial in the October 2005 issue of the Journal of Rheumatology that, far from harming the cardiovascular (CV) system, glucocorticoids (GCs) "might actually reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with [

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1129125244821959582005-10-12T06:53:00.000-07:002005-10-12T06:54:04.826-07:00

From ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM Research News AlertsAromatase Inhibitors and the Syndrome of Arthralgias With Estrogen DeprivationPosted 10/10/2005Recent evidence suggests caution in prescribing hormone therapy for breast cancer and sheds new light on "menopausal arthritis."One of the most effective new treatments for breast cancer is a hormone therapy. Aromatase inhibitors work by powerfully

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15644722.post-1128800370032466032005-10-08T12:39:00.000-07:002005-10-08T12:39:30.033-07:00

By Anthony J. Brown, MDNEW YORK (Reuters Health) Oct 07 - Long-term use of NSAIDs can reduce the risk of oral cancer, but careful monitoring is required because these drugs may also raise the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to a report in the October 7th online issue of The Lancet."When we analyzed the data, NSAID use was tied to a reduced risk of oral cancer, similar to

Ricardo Pocurullnoreply@blogger.com0