Story Source: PracticeUpdate.com RESEARCH · September 05, 2014 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this prospective study, prevalence of Dupuytren contractures was increased in patients with psoriasis (19.6%) compared with the non-psoriasis population (3.6%). Even greater prevalence rates were seen in those with palmoplantar involvement or intertriginous psoriasis. Assessment for Dupuytren contractures in patients with psoriasis may allow […]
Ann Rheum Dis. 2014 Sep;73(9):1683-8. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-203143. Epub 2013 Jul 9. Evers AW Abstract OBJECTIVES: Both stressors and stress vulnerability factors together with immune and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity components have been considered to contribute to disease fluctuations of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of the present study was to […]
Medscape.com Mohamed K. Bedaiwi, Robert D. Inman Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2014;26(4):410-415. Abstract Purpose of review The gut microbiome plays an integral role in the development and maintenance of the host immune system. Expanding knowledge about this microbial microenvironment has raised the possibility of new treatments based on this knowledge. In this review, we describe the […]
Frontline Medical News, 2014 Aug 22, B Jancin COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO (FRONTLINE MEDICAL NEWS) – Every child and adolescent with vitiligo should undergo a laboratory evaluation that includes thyroid function tests and antibody levels, Dr. Pearl E. Grimes advised at the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology. “At some point, we used to […]
Theoklis E. Zaoutis, MD, MSCE August 18, 2014 Story Source May Require Free Registration Hello. My name is Theo Zaoutis. I’m Chief of Infectious Diseases at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I am here today to discuss antibiotic use as specifically related to a recent survey that was conducted by WebMD and Medscape in cooperation […]
Published: Aug 13, 2014 By Nancy Walsh, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Action Points There is some evidence that particulate air pollution may influence risk for and expression of autoimmune disease. A particular role for nanoparticles in human disease has not been established. Recently, I wrote an article about some interesting research being done by Jean Pfau, […]
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Aug 30;14(1):322. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-322. Analysis of the effect of the active compound of green tea (EGCG) on the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Saleh F1, Raghupathy R, Asfar S, Oteifa M, Al-Saleh N. Abstract BACKGROUND: Cancer immunotherapy requires proper manipulation of the immune system, lymphocytes in particular, in order […]
New Rochelle, NY, August 7, 2014—Numerous risk factors are believed to contribute to the development of autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, and new research is focusing on the role that bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract as well as other cell stress-related chemical signals could have in stimulating inflammation in the central nervous system and […]
Women who are overweight or obese, particularly those becoming so by late adolescence, have an elevated risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis. by Nancy Walsh, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today August 01, 2014 Women who are overweight or obese, particularly those who acquire the excess weight by late adolescence, have an elevated risk for developing rheumatoid […]
Published: Jul 28, 2014 By Nancy Walsh, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Patients with psoriatic arthritis who smoke have worse patient-reported disease features at baseline and don’t respond as well as nonsmokers to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment, a Danish study found. Current smokers had higher patient global scores on a 100-mm visual analog scale […]
PracticeUpdate.com Peter Libby MD In a recent article published in the European Journal of Heart Failure, Dr. Usman Khalid and colleagues interrogated the national database of Denmark to probe the link between psoriasis and the risk for heart failure.1 They followed a cohort for 14 years and identified psoriasis diagnoses by identifying individuals who received prescriptions for topical vitamin […]
Risk for Psoriasis Associated With Hypertension and Its Treatment RESEARCH · July 02, 2014 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this prospective cohort study using data from participants in the Nurses’ Health Study, the authors found a small, but significant, increased risk for psoriasis in individuals with hypertension for ≥6 years and in those on beta blockers for […]
Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2014 Jul;26(4):371-6. doi: 10.1097/BOR.0000000000000070. Cypers H1, Van Praet L, Varkas G, Elewaut D. Abstract PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Thirty years ago, the concept of microscopic gut inflammation in spondyloarthritis (SpA) was established. Over the past decade, there has been tremendous progress in the earlier diagnosis of SpA. In addition, it has been suggested […]
Rheuminations: Chinese Herb for RA Questioned by Nancy Walsh, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today June 20, 2014 We recently reported on a randomized study conducted in China in which a plant extract widely used in traditional Chinese medicine was found to be noninferior to methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and had similar rates of adverse […]
Published: Jun 16, 2014 By Crystal Phend, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Full Story Action Points Note that this randomized trial in infants at high-risk of developing type 1 diabetes did not demonstrate a benefit to hydrolyzed infant formula compared with traditional cows’ milk-based formula. Be aware that the primary outcome, the development of two […]
Date: June 2, 2014 Source: University of South Carolina Summary: Researchers have discovered a novel pathway through which marijuana’s main active constituent, THC, can suppress the body’s immune functions. The recent findings show that THC can change critical molecules of epigenome called histones, leading to suppression of inflammation. A team of University of South Carolina […]
Review · April 26, 2014 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE This review assessed studies on nutritional supplement use in patients with psoriasis. There was moderate evidence of benefit with fish oil supplementation; however, studies on vitamin D, vitamin B12, and selenium had inconsistent results. The authors conclude that further evaluation by large, randomized trials is needed to determine […]
Review · April 26, 2014 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this review and meta-analysis of 28 articles, psoriasis was reported to be associated with a 2.4-fold increase in the frequency of celiac disease markers. Based on a small number of studies, a gluten-free diet may be beneficial in celiac antibody–positive patients with psoriasis. Psoriasis patients have a […]
Posted on Tue, Apr 22, 2014 @ 10:17 AM Patients with autoimmune diseases such as, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or Sjogren’s disease are typically given protocol-driven treatments with limited success because an acute care model is given to a chronic problem while the underlying causes are never investigated. The problem with this is everyone […]
Published: Apr 19, 2014 By Nancy Walsh, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today Action Points A risk score encompassing clinical characteristics, serologic findings, and imaging tests could be used to predict which patients with positive antibodies to anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide are likely to go on to develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA), researchers found. Note that in the […]