MSK Report News

Tuesday, August 09, 2005 Autoimmunity: Neuropsychiatric Syndromes in SLE Patients Are Complex and Underdiagnosed
Though neuropsychiatric (NP) syndromes, regardless of etiology, are common among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a new study suggests that lupus patients with a history of NP syndromes report more severe anxiety and depression as well as cognitive dysfunction, pointing to the need for earlier diagnosis of these nonspecific symptoms...J Rheumatol. 2005;32:1459-1466.

Monday, August 08, 2005 Latest News: Vitamin D Supplements May Not Help African American Women's Bones
Supplementation with vitamin D₃ has no effect on bone loss or bone turnover markers in calcium-replete, postmenopausal African American women ... Aloia JF, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1618-1623

Friday, August 05, 2005 Autoimmunity: RA Patients With High BMI Have Lower Mortality
In a finding that runs contrary to the recognized relationship between increased weight and mortality, a new study has found that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with a high body mass index had a lower risk of death than their leaner counterparts... Escalante A, Haas RW, del Rincón I. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1624-1629.

Thursday, August 04, 2005 Latest News: Scientists Develop New Technique to Grow Bone In Vivo
In a development that one day may revolutionize spinal and knee-replacement surgery and the treatment of osteoporosis, researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, have demonstrated for the first time that healthy new bone can be grown in one part of the body to repair bony defects at another location... Stevens MM, et al. In vivo engineering of organs: The bone bioreactor. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2005; scheduled to appear online before print. Available at: http://www.pnas.org/.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005 Autoimmunity: Etanercept Does Not Increase Risk of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in RA Patients
Unlike cyclosporine, etanercept does not appear to increase risk of skin cancer in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients... Lebwohl M, et al. Arch Dermatol. 2005;141:861-864.

Thursday, July 28, 2005 General: Parkinson's Drug Shows Initial Promise in Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia patients taking pramipexole, a dopamine₃-receptor agonist, reported decreased pain and fatigue and improved function and global status compared with study participants taking placebo... Holman AJ, Myers RR. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2495-2505.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005 Autoimmunity: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Is There a Phthalate Connection?
Murine studies suggest that exposure to phthalates may increase susceptibility to SLE and possibly other autoimmune disorders... Lim S-Y and Ghosh SK. J Autoimmun. 2005;25:33-45

Monday, July 25, 2005 General: Government Crackdown on Palladone and Fentanyl Continues to Fuel Fear of Prescribing Pain Medication
Withdrawal of Palladone in the US, the advisory report issued on the fentanyl patch, and the continued DEA scrutiny of doctors who prescribe opioids and other narcotic analgesics may have a chilling effect on the optimal use of these agents for the relief of acute and persistent pain.

Thursday, July 21, 2005 Latest News: Swedish Study Clarifies Connection Between TB, RA, and Use of TNF-α Inhibitors
Irrespective of whether TNF-α inhibitors were administered, Swedish patients with RA were at an increased risk of TB, and TB risk is further heightened by use of biologic agents... Askling J, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:1986-1992

Tuesday, July 19, 2005 Autoimmunity: Acupuncture Provides Short-Term Benefits in Knee OA
Acupuncture improves pain and functioning in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), but only in the short term... Witt C, et al. Lancet. 2005;366:136-143.