Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for April 2019. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
FDA Approves First Treatment for Pediatric Lupus
MONDAY, April 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The first treatment has been approved for children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday.
Gender Differences Seen in Adverse Drug Reactions
FRIDAY, April 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The risk for adverse drug reactions (ADRs) may be higher for women, even when accounting for gender differences in drug use, according to a study published online April 2 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Risk Factors ID’d for Rheumatoid Arthritis Complications
WEDNESDAY, April 24, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A new study published online April 11 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases identifies factors tied to hospitalization and infections among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Statins Safe, Effective in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
FRIDAY, April 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Daily atorvastatin is safe for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events (CVE) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, conferring a similar degree of risk reduction in these patients as in other populations, according to a study published online April 15 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
National Hand Hygiene Initiative Successful in Australia
FRIDAY, April 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) has successfully sustained improvement in hand hygiene compliance, according to a study recently published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, held from April 13 to 16 in Amsterdam.
Loan Forgiveness, Educational Debt May Affect Practice Patterns
FRIDAY, April 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Increased educational debt appears to directly influence physician practice choice, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
Sixty People Charged in Massive Opioid Painkiller Investigation
THURSDAY, April 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Fifty-three medical professionals, including 31 doctors, are among the 60 people charged by U.S. authorities for their alleged involvement in the illegal prescribing and distribution of opioid painkillers.
AP News Article
Infections May Up Risk for Developing Sjögren Syndrome
THURSDAY, April 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Individuals with a history of infection have double the risk for developing Sjögren syndrome, according to a study published online March 20 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Standardizing Demographics Ups Accuracy of Patient Matching
MONDAY, April 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Standardizing demographic data can improve the accuracy of patient matching, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
New Scale Helps Identify More Serious Cases of Mononucleosis
MONDAY, April 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A new scale for rating the severity of mononucleosis can identify patients at risk for more serious cases, including those who might develop chronic fatigue syndrome following infectious mononucleosis, according to a study recently published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
ACR Issues Position Statements on Drug Pricing, Step Therapy
FRIDAY, April 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Two position statements developed in relation to drug pricing and step therapy have been issued by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Position Statement – Drug Pricing
Position Statement – Step Therapy
Colchicine May Improve Obesity-Induced Inflammation
FRIDAY, April 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Colchicine is safe and effective at improving obesity-associated inflammatory measures among adults with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) without diabetes, according to a pilot study published online March 14 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
Domestic Responsibilities Tied to Physician Mothers’ Satisfaction
THURSDAY, April 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For physician mothers in procedural specialties, being responsible for five or more domestic tasks is associated with an increased likelihood of career dissatisfaction, according to a study published online April 10 in JAMA Surgery.
Inflammatory Arthritis Linked to Sexual Dysfunction
THURSDAY, April 11, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Sexual dysfunction appears to be highly prevalent in both men and women with inflammatory arthritis (IA), according to a review published online April 3 in Arthritis Care & Research.
New, Revised Topics Released in ACR Appropriateness Criteria
TUESDAY, April 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The latest edition of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria has been released and includes 188 diagnostic imaging and interventional radiology topics, with 908 clinical variants covering more than 1,670 clinical scenarios.
No Benefit Seen With Rituximab for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
FRIDAY, April 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), B-cell depletion using several infusions of rituximab over 12 months is not associated with clinical improvement, according to a study published online April 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Most Osteoporosis Guidelines Do Not Discuss Patient Choices
THURSDAY, April 4, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Less than 40 percent of osteoporosis clinical practice guidelines include any mention of patients’ beliefs, values, or preferences (BVPs), according to a study published online March 11 in Osteoporosis International.
Americans Borrowed $88 Billion in Past Year to Pay for Health Care
TUESDAY, April 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — About one in eight Americans borrowed a total of $88 billion in the past year to pay for health care, a new West Health-Gallup survey shows.
CNN Article
West Health-Gallup Survey
Over-the-Counter Meds Save Health Care System Money
TUESDAY, April 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — On average, each dollar spent on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines saves the U.S. health care system $7.20, totaling nearly $146 billion in annual savings, according to a report released March 18 by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA).
Doctors Unclear on Legal Obligations in Caring for Patients With Disability
MONDAY, April 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Practicing physicians might not understand their legal responsibilities when caring for people with disability, which may contribute to inequalities in their care, according to a study published online April 1 in Health Affairs.
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