Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for January 2015. 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.
CDC: ~8 Percent of U.S. Adults Nonadherent Due to Rx Costs
THURSDAY, Jan. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one in 10 American adults don't take their medications as prescribed because they can't afford to, according to a January data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.
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Benefits Package Important for Attracting, Retaining Staff
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- An appropriately-targeted benefits package is crucial for attracting and retaining employees, according to an article published Jan. 22 in Medical Economics.
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Leptin May Mediate Knee-Related Osteoarthritis
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The inflammatory adipokine leptin may have a mediating effect on the relationship between body weight and knee osteoarthritis (OA) in older adults, according to research published in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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Moderate Changes in Lipids With Tocilizumab/Tofacitinib in RA
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), moderate changes in lipids are observed after treatment with tocilizumab or tofacitinib, according to a review published in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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Smaller Goals to Start Could Boost Activity in Sedentary
FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Current targets call for 150 minutes of weekly exercise -- or 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week -- to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although these standards don't need to be abandoned, they shouldn't be the primary message about exercise for inactive people, experts argue in two separate analyses published Jan. 21 in The BMJ.
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Physicians Rank the Best EHR Systems of 2014
THURSDAY, Jan. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians have ranked electronic health record (EHR) systems based on five key performance areas, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
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Docs Should Negotiate Health Care Payer Contracts
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The terms in health care payer contracts are not immutable, and contracts should be negotiated, according to an article published Jan. 9 in Medical Economics.
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Collaboration Between Med Students Cuts Diagnostic Errors
TUESDAY, Jan. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- For fourth-year medical students, working collaboratively is associated with a reduction in diagnostic errors, according to a research letter published in the Jan. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Most Docs Work 40 to 60 Hours Per Week
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians work long hours, with most working 40 to 60 hours per week and a considerable proportion working 61 to 80 or more hours per week, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Cold Effects on Skin in Raynaud's Impacted by Age, BMI
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), cold-induced decrease in skin temperature is related to age and body mass index (BMI), according to a study published in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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CRP/ESR Disagreement Common in Infection, Inflammation
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with suspected infection or inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP)/erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) disagreement is common, according to a study published online Dec. 31 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
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Review: Venlafaxine May Be Effective for Fibromyalgia Tx
FRIDAY, Jan. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Venlafaxine seems to be effective for the treatment of fibromyalgia, although studies are limited by small sample size and methodological concerns, according to a review published in the February issue of the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
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Impact of Medical Scribes on EHR Advancement Discussed
THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The increasing use of medical scribes should not be a replacement for improving electronic health records (EHRs), according to a viewpoint piece published online Dec. 15 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Race, Ethnicity Appear to Affect Lupus Prognosis in U.S.
THURSDAY, Jan. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States, Asian and Hispanic patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have lower death rates than whites, blacks, or Native Americans with the disease, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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Working Long Hours? Beware Risky Alcohol Consumption
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Working long hours may raise the risk for alcohol abuse, according to a new study of more than 300,000 people from 14 countries. The report was published online Jan. 13 in The BMJ.
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Providers Urged to Address Patient Fears in Chronic Fatigue
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Easing fears that exercise may worsen symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome is crucial in efforts to prevent disability in people with the condition, according to research published online Jan. 13 in The Lancet Psychiatry.
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Major Risks of Long-Term Opioid Rx Deemed Dose-Dependent
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The long-term effectiveness and harms of opioids for chronic pain are unclear, although the evidence supports a dose-dependent risk for serious harms, according to a review published online Jan. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Guidelines Presented for Clinical Documentation in 21st Century
TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Guidelines have been developed for clinical documentation and interrelated issues. The position paper has been published online Jan. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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NIH: Insufficient Evidence for Opioid Use in Chronic Pain
MONDAY, Jan. 12, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Evidence is insufficient for opioid use in chronic pain, according to a position paper published online Jan. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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AMA Reports on How Docs Use Their Free Time
FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The American Medical Association recently surveyed physicians to find what activities they pursue when not in the exam room.
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CDC: Occupationally Acquired HIV Now Rare
FRIDAY, Jan. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Documented occupational acquisition of HIV has now become rare in the United States, according to research published in the Dec. 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Experts Discuss Pros and Cons of Maintenance of Certification
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The pros and cons of the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) are discussed in two articles published in the Jan. 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Combined Inhibition of TNFα, IL-17 Effective in RA Model
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Combined inhibition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α and interleukin (IL)-17 is more effective than single blockade in cultures of human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), according to an experimental study published in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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Article Highlights Top Technology Challenges for 2015
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- The introduction of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) audits, meaningful use 2, and the burdens of technology are the top four technological challenges for physicians in 2015, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Injections for Knee Arthritis Most Effective for Pain Relief
TUESDAY, Jan. 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Using data from 137 studies, researchers have concluded that all of the widely used arthritis treatments provide more relief from knee pain over three months than do placebo pills. The findings are published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Article Highlights Top Management Challenges for 2015
MONDAY, Jan. 5, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Considerable challenges are projected to impact practice management in 2015, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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