Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for February 2016. 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.
Suggestions for Optimizing Practice Feedback Effectiveness
THURSDAY, Feb. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) — In an article published online Feb. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 15 suggestions are presented to optimize the effectiveness of practice feedback.
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Prednisolone Deemed Safe, Effective First-Line Acute Gout Rx
TUESDAY, Feb. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with acute gout, prednisolone has similar analgesic effectiveness to indomethacin, according to a study published online Feb. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Birth Defects Not Up Significantly With Anti-TNFs in Pregnancy
MONDAY, Feb. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Birth defects are not significantly more prevalent among women receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents during pregnancy, according to a study published in the February issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Exercise May Offer Benefit in Adult, Juvenile Myositis
FRIDAY, Feb. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Exercise may benefit patients with adult and juvenile myositis, according to research published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Psoriasis Does Not Worsen Total Hip Arthroplasty Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA), neither psoriatic arthritis (PsA) nor cutaneous psoriasis (PsC) are risk factors for poor outcomes, according to a study published in the February issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Many Med Schools Appear Unwelcoming Regarding Disability
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Most medical schools need to post, update, or clarify technical standards (TSs), required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), that detail what a school will do to accommodate a student with a disability, according to a study published online Jan. 19 in Academic Medicine.
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Guidelines Developed for Ankylosing Spondylitis Treatment
TUESDAY, Feb. 16, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Evidence-based recommendations have been developed for treatment of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA). The guidelines were published in the February issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Opioids Tied to Higher Risk of Infections in Rheumatoid Arthritis
MONDAY, Feb. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The use of opioid analgesics may increase the risk of serious infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to research published in the February issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
CDC: Number of Uninsured Persons in U.S. Down Since 2013
FRIDAY, Feb. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The percentage of uninsured persons is decreasing in the United States, according to a report published by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Physicians Concerned By Increasing Cost of Generics
THURSDAY, Feb. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Pennsylvania physicians have called for state- and national-level medical associations to take an active role in addressing the issue of increasing generic drug prices, according to an article published by the Pennsylvania Medical Society.
Five Genes Tied to Osteoarthritis Progression
THURSDAY, Feb. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Five genes may serve as biomarkers for osteoarthritis (OA) progression, according to a study published online Feb. 2 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Low Vitamin D Linked to Dry Eye Syndromes
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Vitamin D deficiency is associated with dry eye and impaired tear function, according to a study published in the January issue of the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
AMA Highlights Issues Relating to Medical Liability Reform
MONDAY, Feb. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Medical liability reforms are likely to be advanced and challenged in 2016, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Knee Instability Increases Risk of Falls in Older Adults
MONDAY, Feb. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Symptoms of knee instability, such as knee buckling, are associated with increased risk of falls in older adults, according to research published online Feb. 8 in Arthritis Care & Research.
Doctors Offer Suggestions for Electronic Health Records
FRIDAY, Feb. 5, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Physicians recently met in Seattle to discuss the difficulties and benefits associated with electronic health records (EHRs) in a third town hall meeting on the subject, according to a report published by the American Medical Association.
Seven Tips Provided for Optimizing Practice Revenue
THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Business operations data represent a relatively untapped resource for optimizing practice revenue, and can indicate areas of strength and opportunities for improvement, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Patient-Centered System Recommended for Medical Billing
THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Simplification, consolidation, and real time point-of-care information could address the inefficiencies in the medical billing system, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online Feb. 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Video Games Offer Educational Methods for Med Students
THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Video games can play a role in medical education, offering new methods for teaching medical students, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Spondyloarthritis Features Can Identify Axial Spondyloarthritis
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) — For patients with chronic back pain, the presence of at least one of three spondyloarthritis (SpA) features can identify possible axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), according to a study published online Jan. 27 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Tips Presented for Encouraging Treatment Adherence
TUESDAY, Feb. 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Tips for increasing patient adherence to treatment plans include patient engagement and addressing barriers to adherence, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Mobile Texts May Up Adherence to Meds for Chronic Illness
MONDAY, Feb. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Mobile telephone text messaging may be a promising new way to improve adherence to medications for chronic diseases, according to research published online Feb. 1 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Patients and Families Highlight Value of Nurse Practitioners
MONDAY, Feb. 1, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients and their families believe that teams in acute and primary care are more effective when they include nurse practitioners, according to research published online Jan. 27 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
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