Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Rheumatology for May 2011. 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.
Effect Estimates May Be Inflated in Biomarker Studies
TUESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Biomarker effects are often overestimated in highly cited studies compared to the effects reported in subsequent meta-analyses of the same associations, according to a review published in the June 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Health-Related Quality of Life Lower in Arthritis Sufferers
FRIDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Adults with arthritis report lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL) than those without the condition, according to research published online April 29 in Arthritis Care & Research.
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Lupus Factors Tied to Weak Response to Influenza Vaccine
THURSDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), particularly those with a history of hematological disorder or taking prednisone, may have a low antibody response to influenza vaccination, according to a study published online May 19 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Contact With Drug Industry Linked to Positive Attitudes
WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The extent of contact that medical students have with the pharmaceutical industry is associated with positive attitudes about marketing, according to a review published online May 24 in PLoS Medicine.
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PCR Test Unreliable in Post-Antibiotic Lyme Arthritis
MONDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with persistent Lyme arthritis (LA) which has been treated with antibiotics, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) DNA in the synovial fluid (SF) is not a reliable indicator of active infection, according to a study published online May 17 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Tai Chi May Prevent Falls and Improve Mental Health
FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Tai chi may help fall prevention and improve psychological health but has been shown not to be effective in the symptomatic treatment of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online May 16 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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Many Medical Students Lack Confidence in Medical Law
FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of medical students lack confidence in their knowledge and skills across many areas of medical law, according to a study published online May 16 in the Journal of Medical Ethics.
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Systemic Sclerosis Linked to Coronary Calcification
FRIDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an independent risk factor for coronary calcification in addition to other conventional risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis, such as age and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Arthritic Bone Erosions Can Be Detected by Ultrasound
FRIDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Most arthritic bone erosions seen on ultrasound (US) imaging are cortical breaks, which are detected on micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scans, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Pulsed Electrical Stimuli No Help for Knee Osteoarthritis
THURSDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Use of pulsed electrical stimulation (PES) provides no benefit over placebo for symptomatic management of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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Medical Education Participants Recognize Funding Bias
WEDNESDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Although most medical professionals believe that commercial funding of continuing medical education (CME) introduces bias, most are not willing to pay higher fees to offset or eliminate such funding sources, according to a study published in the May 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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NSAIDs May Increase Cardio Risk in MI Patients
TUESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with prior myocardial infarction (MI), even short-term treatment with most nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be associated with an increased risk of recurrent MI and death, according to a study published online May 9 in Circulation.
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Golimumab Plus Methotrexate May Inhibit RA Progression
MONDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Golimumab plus methotrexate (MTX) inhibits radiographic progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in MTX-naive patients significantly better than MTX alone, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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