http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. (HealthDay)—For patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), smoking status does not impact treatment response to early combination therapy or initial methotrexate treatment with step-up therapy, according to a study published in the December issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-doesnt-impact-ra-treatment-response.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Fri, 21 Dec 2012 07:20:05 EST news275289360 Fibromyalgia is a complex illness to diagnose and to treat. There is not yet a diagnostic test to establish that someone has it, there is no cure and many fibromyalgia symptoms—pain, fatigue, problems sleeping and memory and mood issues—can overlap with or get mistaken for other conditions. A new Mayo Clinic study suggests that many people who have fibromyalgia, especially men, are going undiagnosed. The findings appear in the online edition of the journal Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-men-fibromyalgia-undiagnosed-mayo-clinic.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:34:09 EST news275146443 (HealthDay)—Younger, taller, and heavier patients who undergo primary total hip replacement (THR) are at a greater risk of needing a revision surgery, according to research published in the December issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-factors-idd-total-hip.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:30:01 EST news274989853 (HealthDay)—Pulmonary complications are under-recognized in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA), and are often fatal, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-pulmonary-complications-fatal-jia.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:00:02 EST news272555227 (HealthDay)—The use of a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) during pregnancy is rare and is associated with a nonsignificant increase in the risk for preeclampsia in women with autoimmune disease, according to a study published in the November issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-antirheumatic-drugs-minor-effect-preeclampsia.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:20:01 EST news271441135 (HealthDay)—For patients with knee osteoarthritis, self-reported knee instability and fear of physical activity correlate with the likelihood of treatment response following a therapeutic exercise program, according to a study published in the November issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-factors-impacting-benefit-knee-oa.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:39:48 EST news271078771 More rheumatologists are embracing musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) to diagnose and manage rheumatic diseases. In response, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) assembled a task force to investigate and determine best practices for use of MSUS in rheumatology practice. The resulting scenario-based recommendations, which aim to help clinicians understand when it is reasonable to integrate MSUS into their rheumatology practices, now appear online in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-doctors-ultrasound-rheumatic-diseases.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:00:01 EST news270697944 (HealthDay)—For patients with osteoarthritis (OA), knees affected by more severe patellofemoral (PF) disease have distinct features from those of patients with tibiofemoral (TF) OA in isolation or in combination with mild PF disease, according to a study published online Oct. 8 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-patellofemoral-disease-features-osteoarthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 16 Oct 2012 05:40:01 EST news269580233 (HealthDay)—Leflunomide is effective for the treatment of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in daily clinical practice, according to a study published online Oct. 6 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-leflunomide-safe-effective-psoriatic-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Sun, 14 Oct 2012 06:30:01 EST news269414990 (HealthDay)—Being overweight or obese reduces the risk of all-cause mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, according to a study published in the October issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-weight-death-rheumatoid-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:53:29 EST news268581170 Gout is one of the most common forms of inflammatory arthritis, affecting nearly 4% of adult Americans. Newly approved guidelines that educate patients in effective methods to prevent gout attacks and provide physicians with recommended therapies for long-term management of this painful disease are published in Arthritis Care & Research, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-gout-guidelines-arm-patients-physicians.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 28 Sep 2012 04:41:18 EST news268026068 (HealthDay)—Gout is the primary indication in about 0.2 percent of emergency department visits annually, according to a study published online Sept. 4 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-gout-primary-indication-percent-er.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:40:02 EST news267192732 (HealthDay)—Treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with severe hand deformities with a silicone metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty (SMPA) procedure produces significant, long-term improvement in hand function and appearance, according to research published in the September issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-ra-surgery-function.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:59:48 EST news265910378 (HealthDay)—Patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis (SSc), without any clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease, have indicators of subclinical atherosclerosis, according to a study published online Aug. 16 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-subclinical-atherosclerosis-diffuse-scleroderma.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Wed, 29 Aug 2012 18:40:01 EST news265483830 Canadian researchers have determined that community-based pharmacists could provide an added resource in identifying knee osteoarthritis (OA). The study, published in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), represents the first evidence supporting a collaborative approach to managing knee OA. Findings suggest that involving pharmacists, physiotherapists, and primary care physicians in caring for OA patients improves the quality of care, along with patient function, pain, and quality of life. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-pharmacists-additional-line-defense-knee.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:00:01 EST news265307393 (HealthDay)—Multidisciplinary treatment adapted for women with low educational levels is superior to conventional pharmacotherapy in reducing key symptoms of fibromyalgia (FM), including sleep disturbances, catastrophizing, and psychological distress, according to research published online Aug. 16 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-multidisciplinary-approach-symptoms-fibromyalgia.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Sun, 26 Aug 2012 17:20:05 EST news265218669 (HealthDay) -- Multiple factors contribute to leg weakness in people with hip osteoarthritis (OA), with muscle atrophy being the strongest contributor, according to the results of a systematic review published online July 25 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-multifactorial-mechanisms-underlie-leg-weakness.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:00:01 EST news263745301 (HealthDay) -- Elderly adults with rheumatoid arthritis have a considerable risk of serious infection, with antirheumatic drug use increasing the risk, according to a study published online July 25 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-infection-seniors-rheumatoid-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:49:35 EST news263566168 (HealthDay) -- For patients with inflammatory polyarthritis (IP), learned helplessness (LH) correlates with disease outcomes and seems to mediate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and disease outcomes, according to a study published in the August issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-helplessness-linked-arthritis-disease-outcomes.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:30:01 EST news263557442 (HealthDay) -- Self-efficacy is a significant predictor of fibromyalgia symptomatology, according to a study published online July 17 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-self-efficacy-fibromyalgia-symptomatology.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:11:48 EST news262872701 (HealthDay) -- For the assessment of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including forefoot joints does not significantly improve the precision or range of measurement of the 28-tender and swollen joint count, according to a study published online July 16 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-forefoot-joints-dont-joint.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Thu, 26 Jul 2012 07:00:01 EST news262500042 (HealthDay) -- Having an increased body mass index (BMI) correlates with increased prevalence of gout in adults, according to study published online July 6 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-prevalence-gout-bmi.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:42:37 EST news261751350 (HealthDay) -- Anxiety and depression are both common among U.S. adults with arthritis, with anxiety found more often than depression, according to a study published in the July issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-anxiety-depression-common-adults-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:40:02 EST news261065878 (HealthDay) -- Gastrointestinal (GI) perforation is a rare but serious condition that affects patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), most frequently in the lower GI tract, according to a study published online June 21 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-gastrointestinal-perforation-rare-rheumatoid-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Sun, 08 Jul 2012 06:20:01 EST news260945536 (HealthDay) -- Four standardized consensus treatment plans (CTPs) have been developed for patients with new-onset systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), according to research published in the July issue of Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-standardized-treatment-new-onset-jia.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 03 Jul 2012 04:40:01 EST news260508382 (HealthDay) -- About 10 percent of fibromyalgia patients use marijuana to relieve symptoms such as pain, fatigue and insomnia, a new study has found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-fibromyalgia-patients-marijuana-ease-pain.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Fri, 22 Jun 2012 09:50:42 EST news259577435 (HealthDay) -- The Patient-Rated Elbow Evaluation form (PREE) is the most responsive instrument to identify and quantify elbow joint-specific changes before and after total elbow arthroplasty, according to a study published online June 5 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-patient-rated-elbow-responsive-instrument.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Mon, 18 Jun 2012 14:10:01 EST news259243501 (HealthDay) -- Compared to minimal interventions, self-management has a small effect on pain and disability in non-specific low back pain (LBP), according to a review published online May 23 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-self-management-small-effect-pain.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:40:01 EST news258120289 A retrospective analysis of methotrexate (MTX) safety data found that injection of this disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) was not superior to oral therapy in long-term treatment of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Findings published in Arthritis Care & Research, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), suggest that with similar efficacy and tolerability the more comfortable oral approach may be more suitable to treat pediatric arthritis patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-methotrexate-superior-oral-therapy-juvenile.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Wed, 30 May 2012 00:00:02 EST news257531483 (HealthDay) -- For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), female gender and having a high proportion of disease activity score (DAS28) attributable to patient-reported components (joint tenderness and visual analog score) (DAS28-P) at baseline are predictive of less improvement in pain at one year, according to a study published online May 3 in Arthritis Care & Research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-gender-high-das28-p-index-pain.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:01 EST news256563651