MDedge Rheumatology

We know exercise can be a powerful medical intervention. Now scientists are finally starting to understand why.

A recent study in rats found that exercise positively changes virtually every tissue in the body. The research was part of a large National Institutes of Health initiative called MoTrPAC (Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium) to understand how physical activity improves health and prevents disease. As part of the project, a large human study is also underway.

“What was mind-blowing to me was just how much every organ changed,” said cardiologist Euan A. Ashley, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford University, Stanford, California, and the study’s lead author. “You really are a different person on exercise.”

The study examined hundreds of previously sedentary rats that exercised on a treadmill for 8 weeks. Their tissues were compared with a control group of rats that stayed sedentary.

Your patients, unlike lab animals, can’t be randomly assigned to run on a treadmill until you switch the machine off.

So how do you persuade your patients to become more active?

We asked seven doctors what works for them. They shared 10 of their most effective persuasion tactics.
 

1. Focus on the First Step

“It’s easy to say you want to change behavior,” said Jordan Metzl, MD, a sports medicine specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City who instructs medical students on how to prescribe exercise. “It’s much more difficult to do it.”

He compares it with moving a tractor tire from point A to point B. The hardest part is lifting the tire off the ground and starting to move it. “Once it’s rolling, it takes much less effort to keep it going in the same direction,” he said.

How much exercise a patient does is irrelevant until they’ve given that tire its first push.

“Any amount of exercise is better than nothing,” Dr. Ashley said. “Let’s just start with that. Making the move from sitting a lot to standing more has genuine health benefits.” 
 

2. Mind Your Language

Many patients have a deep-rooted aversion to words and phrases associated with physical activity.

“Exercise” is one. “Working out” is another.

“I often tell them they just have to start moving,” said Chris Raynor, MD, an orthopedic surgeon based in Ottawa, Ontario. “Don’t think about it as working out. Think about it as just moving. Start with something they already like doing and work from there.”
 

3. Make It Manageable

This also applies to patients who’re injured and either waiting for or recovering from surgery.

“Joints like motion,” said Rachel M. Frank, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine, Denver, Colorado. “The more mobile you can be, the easier your recovery’s going to be.”

That can be a challenge for a patient who wasn’t active before the injury, especially if he or she is fixed on the idea that exercise doesn’t matter unless they do it for 30-45 minutes at a time.

“I try to break it down into manageable bits they can do at home,” Dr. Frank said. “I say, ‘Look, you brush your teeth twice a day, right? Can you do these exercises for 5 or 10 minutes before or after you brush your teeth?’ ”
 

4. Connect Their Interests to Their Activity Level

Chad Waterbury, DPT, thought he knew how to motivate a postsurgical patient to become more active and improve her odds for a full recovery. He told her she’d feel better and have more energy — all the usual selling points.

None of it impressed her.

But one day she mentioned that she’d recently become a grandmother for the first time. Dr. Waterbury, a physical therapist based in Los Angeles, noticed how she lit up when she talked about her new granddaughter.

“So I started giving her scenarios, like taking her daughter to Disneyland when she’s 9 or 10. You have to be somewhat fit to do something like that.”

It worked, and Dr. Waterbury learned a fundamental lesson in motivation. “You have to connect the exercise to something that’s important in their life,” he said.
 

5. Don’t Let a Crisis Go to Waste

“There are very few things more motivating than having a heart attack,” Dr. Ashley said. “For the vast majority of people, that’s a very sobering moment where they reassess everything in their lives.”

There’ll never be a better time to persuade a patient to become more active. In his cardiology practice, Dr. Ashley has seen a lot of patients make that switch.

“They really do start to prioritize their health in a way they never did before,” he said.
 

6. Emphasize the Practical Over the Ideal

Not all patients attach negative feelings to working out. For some, it’s the goal.

Todd Ivan, MD, calls it the “ ’I need to get to the gym’ lament”: Something they’ve aspired to but rarely if ever done.

“I tell them I’d welcome a half-hour walk every day to get started,” said Dr. Ivan, a consultation-liaison psychiatrist at Summa Health in Akron, Ohio. “It’s a way to introduce the idea that fitness begins with small adjustments.”
 

7. Go Beneath the Surface

“Exercise doesn’t generally result in great weight loss,” said endocrinologist Karl Nadolsky, DO, an obesity specialist and co-host of the Docs Who Lift podcast.

But a lot of his patients struggle to break that connection. It’s understandable, given how many times they’ve been told they’d weigh less if they moved more.

Dr. Nadolsky tells them it’s what’s on the inside that counts. “I explain it as very literal, meaning their physical health, metabolic health, and mental health.”

By reframing physical activity with an internal rather than external focus — the plumbing and wiring vs the shutters and shingles — he gives them permission to approach exercise as a health upgrade rather than yet another part of their lifelong struggle to lose weight.

“A significant number of our patients respond well to that,” he said.
 

8. Appeal to Their Intellect

Some patients think like doctors: No matter how reluctant they may be to change their mind about something, they’ll respond to evidence.

Dr. Frank has learned to identify these scientifically inclined patients. “I’ll flood them with data,” she said. “I’ll say, ‘These studies show that if you do x, y, z, your outcome will be better.’ ”

Dr. Ashley takes a similar approach when his patients give him the most common reason for not exercising: “I don’t have time.”

He tells them that exercise doesn’t take time. It gives you time.

That’s according to a 2012 study of more than 650,000 adults that associated physical activity with an increased lifespan.

As one of the authors said in an interview, a middle-aged person who gets 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise will, on average, gain 7 more minutes of life for each minute of exercise, compared with someone who doesn’t get any exercise.

The strategy works because it brings patients out of their day-to-day lives and into the future, Dr. Ashley said.

“What about your entire life?” he asks them. “You’re actually in this world for 80-plus years, you hope. How are you going to spend that? You have to think about that when you’re in your 40s and 50s.”
 

9. Show Them the Money

Illness and injury, on top of everything else, can be really expensive.

Even with good insurance, a health problem that requires surgery and/or hospitalization might cost thousands of dollars out of pocket. With mediocre insurance, it might be tens of thousands.

Sometimes, Dr. Frank said, it helps to remind patients of the price they paid for their treatment. “I’ll say, ‘Let’s get moving so you don’t have to pay for this again.’ ”

Protecting their investment can be a powerful motivation.
 

10. Make It a Team Effort

While the doctors we interviewed have a wide range of specialties — cardiology, sports medicine, psychiatry, endocrinology, orthopedics, and physical therapy — their patients have one thing in common.

They don’t want to be in a doctor’s office. It means they have something, need something, or broke something.

It might be a treatable condition that’s merely inconvenient or a life-threatening event that’s flat-out terrifying.

Whatever it is, it pulls them out of their normal world. It can be a lonely, disorienting experience.

Sometimes the best thing a doctor can do is stay connected with the patient. “This is like a team sport,” Dr. Frank tells her patients. “I’m going to be your coach, but you’re the captain of the team.”

In some cases, she’ll ask the patient to message her on the portal after completing the daily or weekly exercises. That alone might motivate the patient — especially when she responds to their messages.

After all, nobody wants to let the coach down.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

We know exercise can be a powerful medical intervention. Now scientists are finally starting to understand why.

A recent study in rats found that exercise positively changes virtually every tissue in the body. The research was part of a large National Institutes of Health initiative called MoTrPAC (Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium) to understand how physical activity improves health and prevents disease. As part of the project, a large human study is also underway.

“What was mind-blowing to me was just how much every organ changed,” said cardiologist Euan A. Ashley, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford University, Stanford, California, and the study’s lead author. “You really are a different person on exercise.”

The study examined hundreds of previously sedentary rats that exercised on a treadmill for 8 weeks. Their tissues were compared with a control group of rats that stayed sedentary.

Your patients, unlike lab animals, can’t be randomly assigned to run on a treadmill until you switch the machine off.

So how do you persuade your patients to become more active?

We asked seven doctors what works for them. They shared 10 of their most effective persuasion tactics.
 

1. Focus on the First Step

“It’s easy to say you want to change behavior,” said Jordan Metzl, MD, a sports medicine specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City who instructs medical students on how to prescribe exercise. “It’s much more difficult to do it.”

He compares it with moving a tractor tire from point A to point B. The hardest part is lifting the tire off the ground and starting to move it. “Once it’s rolling, it takes much less effort to keep it going in the same direction,” he said.

How much exercise a patient does is irrelevant until they’ve given that tire its first push.

“Any amount of exercise is better than nothing,” Dr. Ashley said. “Let’s just start with that. Making the move from sitting a lot to standing more has genuine health benefits.” 
 

2. Mind Your Language

Many patients have a deep-rooted aversion to words and phrases associated with physical activity.

“Exercise” is one. “Working out” is another.

“I often tell them they just have to start moving,” said Chris Raynor, MD, an orthopedic surgeon based in Ottawa, Ontario. “Don’t think about it as working out. Think about it as just moving. Start with something they already like doing and work from there.”
 

3. Make It Manageable

This also applies to patients who’re injured and either waiting for or recovering from surgery.

“Joints like motion,” said Rachel M. Frank, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine, Denver, Colorado. “The more mobile you can be, the easier your recovery’s going to be.”

That can be a challenge for a patient who wasn’t active before the injury, especially if he or she is fixed on the idea that exercise doesn’t matter unless they do it for 30-45 minutes at a time.

“I try to break it down into manageable bits they can do at home,” Dr. Frank said. “I say, ‘Look, you brush your teeth twice a day, right? Can you do these exercises for 5 or 10 minutes before or after you brush your teeth?’ ”
 

4. Connect Their Interests to Their Activity Level

Chad Waterbury, DPT, thought he knew how to motivate a postsurgical patient to become more active and improve her odds for a full recovery. He told her she’d feel better and have more energy — all the usual selling points.

None of it impressed her.

But one day she mentioned that she’d recently become a grandmother for the first time. Dr. Waterbury, a physical therapist based in Los Angeles, noticed how she lit up when she talked about her new granddaughter.

“So I started giving her scenarios, like taking her daughter to Disneyland when she’s 9 or 10. You have to be somewhat fit to do something like that.”

It worked, and Dr. Waterbury learned a fundamental lesson in motivation. “You have to connect the exercise to something that’s important in their life,” he said.
 

5. Don’t Let a Crisis Go to Waste

“There are very few things more motivating than having a heart attack,” Dr. Ashley said. “For the vast majority of people, that’s a very sobering moment where they reassess everything in their lives.”

There’ll never be a better time to persuade a patient to become more active. In his cardiology practice, Dr. Ashley has seen a lot of patients make that switch.

“They really do start to prioritize their health in a way they never did before,” he said.
 

6. Emphasize the Practical Over the Ideal

Not all patients attach negative feelings to working out. For some, it’s the goal.

Todd Ivan, MD, calls it the “ ’I need to get to the gym’ lament”: Something they’ve aspired to but rarely if ever done.

“I tell them I’d welcome a half-hour walk every day to get started,” said Dr. Ivan, a consultation-liaison psychiatrist at Summa Health in Akron, Ohio. “It’s a way to introduce the idea that fitness begins with small adjustments.”
 

7. Go Beneath the Surface

“Exercise doesn’t generally result in great weight loss,” said endocrinologist Karl Nadolsky, DO, an obesity specialist and co-host of the Docs Who Lift podcast.

But a lot of his patients struggle to break that connection. It’s understandable, given how many times they’ve been told they’d weigh less if they moved more.

Dr. Nadolsky tells them it’s what’s on the inside that counts. “I explain it as very literal, meaning their physical health, metabolic health, and mental health.”

By reframing physical activity with an internal rather than external focus — the plumbing and wiring vs the shutters and shingles — he gives them permission to approach exercise as a health upgrade rather than yet another part of their lifelong struggle to lose weight.

“A significant number of our patients respond well to that,” he said.
 

8. Appeal to Their Intellect

Some patients think like doctors: No matter how reluctant they may be to change their mind about something, they’ll respond to evidence.

Dr. Frank has learned to identify these scientifically inclined patients. “I’ll flood them with data,” she said. “I’ll say, ‘These studies show that if you do x, y, z, your outcome will be better.’ ”

Dr. Ashley takes a similar approach when his patients give him the most common reason for not exercising: “I don’t have time.”

He tells them that exercise doesn’t take time. It gives you time.

That’s according to a 2012 study of more than 650,000 adults that associated physical activity with an increased lifespan.

As one of the authors said in an interview, a middle-aged person who gets 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise will, on average, gain 7 more minutes of life for each minute of exercise, compared with someone who doesn’t get any exercise.

The strategy works because it brings patients out of their day-to-day lives and into the future, Dr. Ashley said.

“What about your entire life?” he asks them. “You’re actually in this world for 80-plus years, you hope. How are you going to spend that? You have to think about that when you’re in your 40s and 50s.”
 

9. Show Them the Money

Illness and injury, on top of everything else, can be really expensive.

Even with good insurance, a health problem that requires surgery and/or hospitalization might cost thousands of dollars out of pocket. With mediocre insurance, it might be tens of thousands.

Sometimes, Dr. Frank said, it helps to remind patients of the price they paid for their treatment. “I’ll say, ‘Let’s get moving so you don’t have to pay for this again.’ ”

Protecting their investment can be a powerful motivation.
 

10. Make It a Team Effort

While the doctors we interviewed have a wide range of specialties — cardiology, sports medicine, psychiatry, endocrinology, orthopedics, and physical therapy — their patients have one thing in common.

They don’t want to be in a doctor’s office. It means they have something, need something, or broke something.

It might be a treatable condition that’s merely inconvenient or a life-threatening event that’s flat-out terrifying.

Whatever it is, it pulls them out of their normal world. It can be a lonely, disorienting experience.

Sometimes the best thing a doctor can do is stay connected with the patient. “This is like a team sport,” Dr. Frank tells her patients. “I’m going to be your coach, but you’re the captain of the team.”

In some cases, she’ll ask the patient to message her on the portal after completing the daily or weekly exercises. That alone might motivate the patient — especially when she responds to their messages.

After all, nobody wants to let the coach down.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

We know exercise can be a powerful medical intervention. Now scientists are finally starting to understand why.

A recent study in rats found that exercise positively changes virtually every tissue in the body. The research was part of a large National Institutes of Health initiative called MoTrPAC (Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium) to understand how physical activity improves health and prevents disease. As part of the project, a large human study is also underway.

“What was mind-blowing to me was just how much every organ changed,” said cardiologist Euan A. Ashley, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford University, Stanford, California, and the study’s lead author. “You really are a different person on exercise.”

The study examined hundreds of previously sedentary rats that exercised on a treadmill for 8 weeks. Their tissues were compared with a control group of rats that stayed sedentary.

Your patients, unlike lab animals, can’t be randomly assigned to run on a treadmill until you switch the machine off.

So how do you persuade your patients to become more active?

We asked seven doctors what works for them. They shared 10 of their most effective persuasion tactics.
 

1. Focus on the First Step

“It’s easy to say you want to change behavior,” said Jordan Metzl, MD, a sports medicine specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City who instructs medical students on how to prescribe exercise. “It’s much more difficult to do it.”

He compares it with moving a tractor tire from point A to point B. The hardest part is lifting the tire off the ground and starting to move it. “Once it’s rolling, it takes much less effort to keep it going in the same direction,” he said.

How much exercise a patient does is irrelevant until they’ve given that tire its first push.

“Any amount of exercise is better than nothing,” Dr. Ashley said. “Let’s just start with that. Making the move from sitting a lot to standing more has genuine health benefits.” 
 

2. Mind Your Language

Many patients have a deep-rooted aversion to words and phrases associated with physical activity.

“Exercise” is one. “Working out” is another.

“I often tell them they just have to start moving,” said Chris Raynor, MD, an orthopedic surgeon based in Ottawa, Ontario. “Don’t think about it as working out. Think about it as just moving. Start with something they already like doing and work from there.”
 

3. Make It Manageable

This also applies to patients who’re injured and either waiting for or recovering from surgery.

“Joints like motion,” said Rachel M. Frank, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Colorado Sports Medicine, Denver, Colorado. “The more mobile you can be, the easier your recovery’s going to be.”

That can be a challenge for a patient who wasn’t active before the injury, especially if he or she is fixed on the idea that exercise doesn’t matter unless they do it for 30-45 minutes at a time.

“I try to break it down into manageable bits they can do at home,” Dr. Frank said. “I say, ‘Look, you brush your teeth twice a day, right? Can you do these exercises for 5 or 10 minutes before or after you brush your teeth?’ ”
 

4. Connect Their Interests to Their Activity Level

Chad Waterbury, DPT, thought he knew how to motivate a postsurgical patient to become more active and improve her odds for a full recovery. He told her she’d feel better and have more energy — all the usual selling points.

None of it impressed her.

But one day she mentioned that she’d recently become a grandmother for the first time. Dr. Waterbury, a physical therapist based in Los Angeles, noticed how she lit up when she talked about her new granddaughter.

“So I started giving her scenarios, like taking her daughter to Disneyland when she’s 9 or 10. You have to be somewhat fit to do something like that.”

It worked, and Dr. Waterbury learned a fundamental lesson in motivation. “You have to connect the exercise to something that’s important in their life,” he said.
 

5. Don’t Let a Crisis Go to Waste

“There are very few things more motivating than having a heart attack,” Dr. Ashley said. “For the vast majority of people, that’s a very sobering moment where they reassess everything in their lives.”

There’ll never be a better time to persuade a patient to become more active. In his cardiology practice, Dr. Ashley has seen a lot of patients make that switch.

“They really do start to prioritize their health in a way they never did before,” he said.
 

6. Emphasize the Practical Over the Ideal

Not all patients attach negative feelings to working out. For some, it’s the goal.

Todd Ivan, MD, calls it the “ ’I need to get to the gym’ lament”: Something they’ve aspired to but rarely if ever done.

“I tell them I’d welcome a half-hour walk every day to get started,” said Dr. Ivan, a consultation-liaison psychiatrist at Summa Health in Akron, Ohio. “It’s a way to introduce the idea that fitness begins with small adjustments.”
 

7. Go Beneath the Surface

“Exercise doesn’t generally result in great weight loss,” said endocrinologist Karl Nadolsky, DO, an obesity specialist and co-host of the Docs Who Lift podcast.

But a lot of his patients struggle to break that connection. It’s understandable, given how many times they’ve been told they’d weigh less if they moved more.

Dr. Nadolsky tells them it’s what’s on the inside that counts. “I explain it as very literal, meaning their physical health, metabolic health, and mental health.”

By reframing physical activity with an internal rather than external focus — the plumbing and wiring vs the shutters and shingles — he gives them permission to approach exercise as a health upgrade rather than yet another part of their lifelong struggle to lose weight.

“A significant number of our patients respond well to that,” he said.
 

8. Appeal to Their Intellect

Some patients think like doctors: No matter how reluctant they may be to change their mind about something, they’ll respond to evidence.

Dr. Frank has learned to identify these scientifically inclined patients. “I’ll flood them with data,” she said. “I’ll say, ‘These studies show that if you do x, y, z, your outcome will be better.’ ”

Dr. Ashley takes a similar approach when his patients give him the most common reason for not exercising: “I don’t have time.”

He tells them that exercise doesn’t take time. It gives you time.

That’s according to a 2012 study of more than 650,000 adults that associated physical activity with an increased lifespan.

As one of the authors said in an interview, a middle-aged person who gets 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise will, on average, gain 7 more minutes of life for each minute of exercise, compared with someone who doesn’t get any exercise.

The strategy works because it brings patients out of their day-to-day lives and into the future, Dr. Ashley said.

“What about your entire life?” he asks them. “You’re actually in this world for 80-plus years, you hope. How are you going to spend that? You have to think about that when you’re in your 40s and 50s.”
 

9. Show Them the Money

Illness and injury, on top of everything else, can be really expensive.

Even with good insurance, a health problem that requires surgery and/or hospitalization might cost thousands of dollars out of pocket. With mediocre insurance, it might be tens of thousands.

Sometimes, Dr. Frank said, it helps to remind patients of the price they paid for their treatment. “I’ll say, ‘Let’s get moving so you don’t have to pay for this again.’ ”

Protecting their investment can be a powerful motivation.
 

10. Make It a Team Effort

While the doctors we interviewed have a wide range of specialties — cardiology, sports medicine, psychiatry, endocrinology, orthopedics, and physical therapy — their patients have one thing in common.

They don’t want to be in a doctor’s office. It means they have something, need something, or broke something.

It might be a treatable condition that’s merely inconvenient or a life-threatening event that’s flat-out terrifying.

Whatever it is, it pulls them out of their normal world. It can be a lonely, disorienting experience.

Sometimes the best thing a doctor can do is stay connected with the patient. “This is like a team sport,” Dr. Frank tells her patients. “I’m going to be your coach, but you’re the captain of the team.”

In some cases, she’ll ask the patient to message her on the portal after completing the daily or weekly exercises. That alone might motivate the patient — especially when she responds to their messages.

After all, nobody wants to let the coach down.
 

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) via telehealth improves pain-related function and biopsychosocial outcomes in veterans with chronic pain as compared with usual care.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial of 811 veterans who had moderate to severe chronic pain and were recruited from three Veterans Affairs facilities in the United States.
• Participants were divided into three groups: Group MBI (270), self-paced MBI (271), and usual care (270), with interventions lasting 8 weeks.
• The primary outcome was pain-related function measured using a scale on interference from pain in areas like mood, walking, work, relationships, and sleep at 10 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year.
• Secondary outcomes included pain intensity, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbance, participation in social roles and activities, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

TAKEAWAY:

• Pain-related function significantly improved in participants in both the MBI groups versus usual care group, with a mean difference of −0.4 (95% CI, −0.7 to −0.2) for group MBI and −0.7 (95% CI, −1.0 to −0.4) for self-paced MBI (P < .001).
• Compared with the usual care group, both the MBI groups had significantly improved secondary outcomes, including pain intensity, depression, and PTSD.
• The probability of achieving 30% improvement in pain-related function was higher for group MBI at 10 weeks and 6 months and for self-paced MBI at all three timepoints.
• No significant differences were found between the MBI groups for primary and secondary outcomes.

IN PRACTICE:

“The viability and similarity of both these approaches for delivering MBIs increase patient options for meeting their individual needs and could help accelerate and improve the implementation of nonpharmacological pain treatment in health care systems,” the study authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Diana J. Burgess, PhD, of the Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, VA Health Systems Research in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and published online in JAMA Internal Medicine. 

LIMITATIONS:

The trial was not designed to compare less resource-intensive MBIs with more intensive mindfulness-based stress reduction programs or in-person MBIs. The study did not address cost-effectiveness or control for time, attention, and other contextual factors. The high nonresponse rate (81%) to initial recruitment may have affected the generalizability of the findings.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by the Pain Management Collaboratory–Pragmatic Clinical Trials Demonstration. Various authors reported grants from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the National Institute of Nursing Research.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) via telehealth improves pain-related function and biopsychosocial outcomes in veterans with chronic pain as compared with usual care.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial of 811 veterans who had moderate to severe chronic pain and were recruited from three Veterans Affairs facilities in the United States.
• Participants were divided into three groups: Group MBI (270), self-paced MBI (271), and usual care (270), with interventions lasting 8 weeks.
• The primary outcome was pain-related function measured using a scale on interference from pain in areas like mood, walking, work, relationships, and sleep at 10 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year.
• Secondary outcomes included pain intensity, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbance, participation in social roles and activities, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

TAKEAWAY:

• Pain-related function significantly improved in participants in both the MBI groups versus usual care group, with a mean difference of −0.4 (95% CI, −0.7 to −0.2) for group MBI and −0.7 (95% CI, −1.0 to −0.4) for self-paced MBI (P < .001).
• Compared with the usual care group, both the MBI groups had significantly improved secondary outcomes, including pain intensity, depression, and PTSD.
• The probability of achieving 30% improvement in pain-related function was higher for group MBI at 10 weeks and 6 months and for self-paced MBI at all three timepoints.
• No significant differences were found between the MBI groups for primary and secondary outcomes.

IN PRACTICE:

“The viability and similarity of both these approaches for delivering MBIs increase patient options for meeting their individual needs and could help accelerate and improve the implementation of nonpharmacological pain treatment in health care systems,” the study authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Diana J. Burgess, PhD, of the Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, VA Health Systems Research in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and published online in JAMA Internal Medicine. 

LIMITATIONS:

The trial was not designed to compare less resource-intensive MBIs with more intensive mindfulness-based stress reduction programs or in-person MBIs. The study did not address cost-effectiveness or control for time, attention, and other contextual factors. The high nonresponse rate (81%) to initial recruitment may have affected the generalizability of the findings.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by the Pain Management Collaboratory–Pragmatic Clinical Trials Demonstration. Various authors reported grants from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the National Institute of Nursing Research.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) via telehealth improves pain-related function and biopsychosocial outcomes in veterans with chronic pain as compared with usual care.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial of 811 veterans who had moderate to severe chronic pain and were recruited from three Veterans Affairs facilities in the United States.
• Participants were divided into three groups: Group MBI (270), self-paced MBI (271), and usual care (270), with interventions lasting 8 weeks.
• The primary outcome was pain-related function measured using a scale on interference from pain in areas like mood, walking, work, relationships, and sleep at 10 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year.
• Secondary outcomes included pain intensity, anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbance, participation in social roles and activities, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

TAKEAWAY:

• Pain-related function significantly improved in participants in both the MBI groups versus usual care group, with a mean difference of −0.4 (95% CI, −0.7 to −0.2) for group MBI and −0.7 (95% CI, −1.0 to −0.4) for self-paced MBI (P < .001).
• Compared with the usual care group, both the MBI groups had significantly improved secondary outcomes, including pain intensity, depression, and PTSD.
• The probability of achieving 30% improvement in pain-related function was higher for group MBI at 10 weeks and 6 months and for self-paced MBI at all three timepoints.
• No significant differences were found between the MBI groups for primary and secondary outcomes.

IN PRACTICE:

“The viability and similarity of both these approaches for delivering MBIs increase patient options for meeting their individual needs and could help accelerate and improve the implementation of nonpharmacological pain treatment in health care systems,” the study authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Diana J. Burgess, PhD, of the Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, VA Health Systems Research in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and published online in JAMA Internal Medicine. 

LIMITATIONS:

The trial was not designed to compare less resource-intensive MBIs with more intensive mindfulness-based stress reduction programs or in-person MBIs. The study did not address cost-effectiveness or control for time, attention, and other contextual factors. The high nonresponse rate (81%) to initial recruitment may have affected the generalizability of the findings.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by the Pain Management Collaboratory–Pragmatic Clinical Trials Demonstration. Various authors reported grants from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the National Institute of Nursing Research.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

The question of whether effective targeted therapies for psoriasis reduce the incidence or "prevent" psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has increasingly become a topic of interest. Also of interest is whether there are differences between different drug classes for treating psoriasis and PsA. To evaluate whether there is a difference between patients treated with interleukin (IL)-23 vs IL-12/23 inhibitors, Tsai and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study that included the propensity score–matched data of patients with psoriasis from the TriNetX database who were treated with either IL-23 inhibitors (n = 2142) or IL-12/23 inhibitors (n = 2142). Patients treated with IL-23 inhibitors vs IL-12/23 inhibitors demonstrated no significant difference in the risk for PsA (hazard ratio 0.96; P = .812) and cumulative incidence of PsA (P = .812). Given the many drawbacks of administrative database-based retrospective studies, I would ideally like to see prospective studies conducted to evaluate the differential risk for PsA between targeted therapies for psoriasis. However, patients can be assured that the beneficial effect, if any, is likely to be similar between these two drug classes in regard to PsA prevention.

One important question when treating patients with PsA with biologic therapies is whether treatment with methotrexate needs to be continued. In a post hoc analysis of phase 3 trials (BE OPTIMAL, BE COMPLETE, and BE VITAL) that included patients with PsA who were biologic-naive (n = 852) or had an incomplete response to a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor (n = 400), McInnes and colleagues evaluated the efficacy and safety of bimekizumab in patients with active PsA with or without concomitant methotrexate treatment at baseline. They demonstrated that through week 52, nearly half of the patients receiving bimekizumab with or without methotrexate achieved a ≥50% improvement in American College of Rheumatology response (biologic-naive ~55%; TNF inhibitor ~48-56%) and minimal disease activity (biologic-naive ~55%; TNF inhibitor ~47%). Thus, bimekizumab demonstrated similar sustained efficacy for 52 weeks, regardless of concomitant methotrexate use. Therefore, concomitant treatment with methotrexate may not be necessary when treating PsA patients with bimekizumab.

Nonpharmacologic interventions, such as diet and exercise, are likely to be of benefit to PsA patients, but studies on such therapies are lacking. In a cross-sectional study that enrolled 279 patients with PsA and 76 patients with psoriasis, Katsimbri and colleagues showed that patients reporting high vs low levels of exercise had significantly lower median values of Disease Activity Index for PsA and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and fewer tender and swollen joints. Similarly, high vs low adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and body surface area affected by psoriasis. Thus, exercise and a Mediterranean diet may improve disease activity outcomes in PsA, and may be an important adjunct to immunomodulatory therapy. However, prospective interventional trials are required.

Finally, a study evaluated whether the initiation of targeted therapies, such as biologics, led to a decrease in the use of other arthritis-related treatments and healthcare use in PsA. Using data from the French health insurance database, Pina Vegas and colleagues evaluated the difference in the proportion of users of associated treatments, hospitalizations, and sick leaves between 6 months before and 3-9 months after treatment initiation. In a cohort of 9793 patients, they found that first-line targeted therapy significantly reduced the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID; −15%), prednisone (−9%), methotrexate (−15%), and mood disorder treatments (−2%), and lowered the rate of hospitalizations (−12%) and sick leave (−4%; all P < 10^-4). TNF inhibitors showed greater reductions in NSAID and prednisone use compared with IL-17 inhibitors, with similar outcomes for IL-12/23 inhibitors.

The question of whether effective targeted therapies for psoriasis reduce the incidence or "prevent" psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has increasingly become a topic of interest. Also of interest is whether there are differences between different drug classes for treating psoriasis and PsA. To evaluate whether there is a difference between patients treated with interleukin (IL)-23 vs IL-12/23 inhibitors, Tsai and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study that included the propensity score–matched data of patients with psoriasis from the TriNetX database who were treated with either IL-23 inhibitors (n = 2142) or IL-12/23 inhibitors (n = 2142). Patients treated with IL-23 inhibitors vs IL-12/23 inhibitors demonstrated no significant difference in the risk for PsA (hazard ratio 0.96; P = .812) and cumulative incidence of PsA (P = .812). Given the many drawbacks of administrative database-based retrospective studies, I would ideally like to see prospective studies conducted to evaluate the differential risk for PsA between targeted therapies for psoriasis. However, patients can be assured that the beneficial effect, if any, is likely to be similar between these two drug classes in regard to PsA prevention.

One important question when treating patients with PsA with biologic therapies is whether treatment with methotrexate needs to be continued. In a post hoc analysis of phase 3 trials (BE OPTIMAL, BE COMPLETE, and BE VITAL) that included patients with PsA who were biologic-naive (n = 852) or had an incomplete response to a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor (n = 400), McInnes and colleagues evaluated the efficacy and safety of bimekizumab in patients with active PsA with or without concomitant methotrexate treatment at baseline. They demonstrated that through week 52, nearly half of the patients receiving bimekizumab with or without methotrexate achieved a ≥50% improvement in American College of Rheumatology response (biologic-naive ~55%; TNF inhibitor ~48-56%) and minimal disease activity (biologic-naive ~55%; TNF inhibitor ~47%). Thus, bimekizumab demonstrated similar sustained efficacy for 52 weeks, regardless of concomitant methotrexate use. Therefore, concomitant treatment with methotrexate may not be necessary when treating PsA patients with bimekizumab.

Nonpharmacologic interventions, such as diet and exercise, are likely to be of benefit to PsA patients, but studies on such therapies are lacking. In a cross-sectional study that enrolled 279 patients with PsA and 76 patients with psoriasis, Katsimbri and colleagues showed that patients reporting high vs low levels of exercise had significantly lower median values of Disease Activity Index for PsA and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and fewer tender and swollen joints. Similarly, high vs low adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and body surface area affected by psoriasis. Thus, exercise and a Mediterranean diet may improve disease activity outcomes in PsA, and may be an important adjunct to immunomodulatory therapy. However, prospective interventional trials are required.

Finally, a study evaluated whether the initiation of targeted therapies, such as biologics, led to a decrease in the use of other arthritis-related treatments and healthcare use in PsA. Using data from the French health insurance database, Pina Vegas and colleagues evaluated the difference in the proportion of users of associated treatments, hospitalizations, and sick leaves between 6 months before and 3-9 months after treatment initiation. In a cohort of 9793 patients, they found that first-line targeted therapy significantly reduced the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID; −15%), prednisone (−9%), methotrexate (−15%), and mood disorder treatments (−2%), and lowered the rate of hospitalizations (−12%) and sick leave (−4%; all P < 10^-4). TNF inhibitors showed greater reductions in NSAID and prednisone use compared with IL-17 inhibitors, with similar outcomes for IL-12/23 inhibitors.

The question of whether effective targeted therapies for psoriasis reduce the incidence or "prevent" psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has increasingly become a topic of interest. Also of interest is whether there are differences between different drug classes for treating psoriasis and PsA. To evaluate whether there is a difference between patients treated with interleukin (IL)-23 vs IL-12/23 inhibitors, Tsai and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study that included the propensity score–matched data of patients with psoriasis from the TriNetX database who were treated with either IL-23 inhibitors (n = 2142) or IL-12/23 inhibitors (n = 2142). Patients treated with IL-23 inhibitors vs IL-12/23 inhibitors demonstrated no significant difference in the risk for PsA (hazard ratio 0.96; P = .812) and cumulative incidence of PsA (P = .812). Given the many drawbacks of administrative database-based retrospective studies, I would ideally like to see prospective studies conducted to evaluate the differential risk for PsA between targeted therapies for psoriasis. However, patients can be assured that the beneficial effect, if any, is likely to be similar between these two drug classes in regard to PsA prevention.

One important question when treating patients with PsA with biologic therapies is whether treatment with methotrexate needs to be continued. In a post hoc analysis of phase 3 trials (BE OPTIMAL, BE COMPLETE, and BE VITAL) that included patients with PsA who were biologic-naive (n = 852) or had an incomplete response to a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor (n = 400), McInnes and colleagues evaluated the efficacy and safety of bimekizumab in patients with active PsA with or without concomitant methotrexate treatment at baseline. They demonstrated that through week 52, nearly half of the patients receiving bimekizumab with or without methotrexate achieved a ≥50% improvement in American College of Rheumatology response (biologic-naive ~55%; TNF inhibitor ~48-56%) and minimal disease activity (biologic-naive ~55%; TNF inhibitor ~47%). Thus, bimekizumab demonstrated similar sustained efficacy for 52 weeks, regardless of concomitant methotrexate use. Therefore, concomitant treatment with methotrexate may not be necessary when treating PsA patients with bimekizumab.

Nonpharmacologic interventions, such as diet and exercise, are likely to be of benefit to PsA patients, but studies on such therapies are lacking. In a cross-sectional study that enrolled 279 patients with PsA and 76 patients with psoriasis, Katsimbri and colleagues showed that patients reporting high vs low levels of exercise had significantly lower median values of Disease Activity Index for PsA and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and fewer tender and swollen joints. Similarly, high vs low adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and body surface area affected by psoriasis. Thus, exercise and a Mediterranean diet may improve disease activity outcomes in PsA, and may be an important adjunct to immunomodulatory therapy. However, prospective interventional trials are required.

Finally, a study evaluated whether the initiation of targeted therapies, such as biologics, led to a decrease in the use of other arthritis-related treatments and healthcare use in PsA. Using data from the French health insurance database, Pina Vegas and colleagues evaluated the difference in the proportion of users of associated treatments, hospitalizations, and sick leaves between 6 months before and 3-9 months after treatment initiation. In a cohort of 9793 patients, they found that first-line targeted therapy significantly reduced the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID; −15%), prednisone (−9%), methotrexate (−15%), and mood disorder treatments (−2%), and lowered the rate of hospitalizations (−12%) and sick leave (−4%; all P < 10^-4). TNF inhibitors showed greater reductions in NSAID and prednisone use compared with IL-17 inhibitors, with similar outcomes for IL-12/23 inhibitors.

Most physicians oppose the way standardized relative value units (RVUs) are used to determine performance and compensation, according to Medscape’s 2024 Physicians and RVUs Report. About 6 in 10 survey respondents were unhappy with how RVUs affected them financially, while 7 in 10 said RVUs were poor measures of productivity.

The report analyzed 2024 survey data from 1005 practicing physicians who earn RVUs.

“I’m already mad that the medical field is controlled by health insurers and what they pay and authorize,” said an anesthesiologist in New York. “Then [that approach] is transferred to medical offices and hospitals, where physicians are paid by RVUs.”

Most physicians surveyed produced between 4000 and 8000 RVUs per year. Roughly one in six were high RVU generators, generating more than 10,000 annually.

In most cases, the metric influences earning potential — 42% of doctors surveyed said RVUs affect their salaries to some degree. One quarter said their salary was based entirely on RVUs. More than three fourths of physicians who received performance bonuses said they must meet RVU targets to do so.

“The current RVU system encourages unnecessary procedures, hurting patients,” said an orthopedic surgeon in Maine.

Nearly three fourths of practitioners surveyed said they occasionally to frequently felt pressure to take on more patients as a result of this system.

“I know numerous primary care doctors and specialists who have been forced to increase patient volume to meet RVU goals, and none is happy about it,” said Alok Patel, MD, a pediatric hospitalist with Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California. “Plus, patients are definitely not happy about being rushed.”

More than half of respondents said they occasionally or frequently felt compelled by their employer to use higher-level coding, which interferes with a physician’s ethical responsibility to the patient, said Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, a bioethicist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

“Rather than rewarding excellence or good outcomes, you’re kind of rewarding procedures and volume,” said Dr. Caplan. “It’s more than pressure; it’s expected.”

Nearly 6 in 10 physicians said that the method for calculating reimbursements was unfair. Almost half said that they weren’t happy with how their workplace uses RVUs.

A few respondents said that their RVU model, which is often based on what Dr. Patel called an “overly complicated algorithm,” did not account for the time spent on tasks or the fact that some patients miss appointments. RVUs also rely on factors outside the control of a physician, such as location and patient volume, said one doctor.

The model can also lower the level of care patients receive, Dr. Patel said.

“I know primary care doctors who work in RVU-based systems and simply cannot take the necessary time — even if it’s 30-45 minutes — to thoroughly assess a patient, when the model forces them to take on 15-minute encounters.”

Finally, over half of clinicians said alternatives to the RVU system would be more effective, and 77% suggested including qualitative data. One respondent recommended incorporating time spent doing paperwork and communicating with patients, complexity of conditions, and medication management.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Most physicians oppose the way standardized relative value units (RVUs) are used to determine performance and compensation, according to Medscape’s 2024 Physicians and RVUs Report. About 6 in 10 survey respondents were unhappy with how RVUs affected them financially, while 7 in 10 said RVUs were poor measures of productivity.

The report analyzed 2024 survey data from 1005 practicing physicians who earn RVUs.

“I’m already mad that the medical field is controlled by health insurers and what they pay and authorize,” said an anesthesiologist in New York. “Then [that approach] is transferred to medical offices and hospitals, where physicians are paid by RVUs.”

Most physicians surveyed produced between 4000 and 8000 RVUs per year. Roughly one in six were high RVU generators, generating more than 10,000 annually.

In most cases, the metric influences earning potential — 42% of doctors surveyed said RVUs affect their salaries to some degree. One quarter said their salary was based entirely on RVUs. More than three fourths of physicians who received performance bonuses said they must meet RVU targets to do so.

“The current RVU system encourages unnecessary procedures, hurting patients,” said an orthopedic surgeon in Maine.

Nearly three fourths of practitioners surveyed said they occasionally to frequently felt pressure to take on more patients as a result of this system.

“I know numerous primary care doctors and specialists who have been forced to increase patient volume to meet RVU goals, and none is happy about it,” said Alok Patel, MD, a pediatric hospitalist with Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California. “Plus, patients are definitely not happy about being rushed.”

More than half of respondents said they occasionally or frequently felt compelled by their employer to use higher-level coding, which interferes with a physician’s ethical responsibility to the patient, said Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, a bioethicist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

“Rather than rewarding excellence or good outcomes, you’re kind of rewarding procedures and volume,” said Dr. Caplan. “It’s more than pressure; it’s expected.”

Nearly 6 in 10 physicians said that the method for calculating reimbursements was unfair. Almost half said that they weren’t happy with how their workplace uses RVUs.

A few respondents said that their RVU model, which is often based on what Dr. Patel called an “overly complicated algorithm,” did not account for the time spent on tasks or the fact that some patients miss appointments. RVUs also rely on factors outside the control of a physician, such as location and patient volume, said one doctor.

The model can also lower the level of care patients receive, Dr. Patel said.

“I know primary care doctors who work in RVU-based systems and simply cannot take the necessary time — even if it’s 30-45 minutes — to thoroughly assess a patient, when the model forces them to take on 15-minute encounters.”

Finally, over half of clinicians said alternatives to the RVU system would be more effective, and 77% suggested including qualitative data. One respondent recommended incorporating time spent doing paperwork and communicating with patients, complexity of conditions, and medication management.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Most physicians oppose the way standardized relative value units (RVUs) are used to determine performance and compensation, according to Medscape’s 2024 Physicians and RVUs Report. About 6 in 10 survey respondents were unhappy with how RVUs affected them financially, while 7 in 10 said RVUs were poor measures of productivity.

The report analyzed 2024 survey data from 1005 practicing physicians who earn RVUs.

“I’m already mad that the medical field is controlled by health insurers and what they pay and authorize,” said an anesthesiologist in New York. “Then [that approach] is transferred to medical offices and hospitals, where physicians are paid by RVUs.”

Most physicians surveyed produced between 4000 and 8000 RVUs per year. Roughly one in six were high RVU generators, generating more than 10,000 annually.

In most cases, the metric influences earning potential — 42% of doctors surveyed said RVUs affect their salaries to some degree. One quarter said their salary was based entirely on RVUs. More than three fourths of physicians who received performance bonuses said they must meet RVU targets to do so.

“The current RVU system encourages unnecessary procedures, hurting patients,” said an orthopedic surgeon in Maine.

Nearly three fourths of practitioners surveyed said they occasionally to frequently felt pressure to take on more patients as a result of this system.

“I know numerous primary care doctors and specialists who have been forced to increase patient volume to meet RVU goals, and none is happy about it,” said Alok Patel, MD, a pediatric hospitalist with Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California. “Plus, patients are definitely not happy about being rushed.”

More than half of respondents said they occasionally or frequently felt compelled by their employer to use higher-level coding, which interferes with a physician’s ethical responsibility to the patient, said Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, a bioethicist at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

“Rather than rewarding excellence or good outcomes, you’re kind of rewarding procedures and volume,” said Dr. Caplan. “It’s more than pressure; it’s expected.”

Nearly 6 in 10 physicians said that the method for calculating reimbursements was unfair. Almost half said that they weren’t happy with how their workplace uses RVUs.

A few respondents said that their RVU model, which is often based on what Dr. Patel called an “overly complicated algorithm,” did not account for the time spent on tasks or the fact that some patients miss appointments. RVUs also rely on factors outside the control of a physician, such as location and patient volume, said one doctor.

The model can also lower the level of care patients receive, Dr. Patel said.

“I know primary care doctors who work in RVU-based systems and simply cannot take the necessary time — even if it’s 30-45 minutes — to thoroughly assess a patient, when the model forces them to take on 15-minute encounters.”

Finally, over half of clinicians said alternatives to the RVU system would be more effective, and 77% suggested including qualitative data. One respondent recommended incorporating time spent doing paperwork and communicating with patients, complexity of conditions, and medication management.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Treatment with etanercept led to faster disease control initially in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an insufficient early response to methotrexate and bridging glucocorticoids therapy, but more patients achieved disease control with leflunomide at 104 weeks.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted CareRA2020, a randomized controlled trial including 276 patients with early RA who were initially treated with oral methotrexate 15 mg/wk and a step-down prednisone scheme, with early insufficient responders (n = 110) randomized to add etanercept 50 mg/wk or leflunomide 10 mg/d for 24 weeks.
• Patients were classified as early insufficient responders if they did not achieve a 28-joint Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) < 3.2 between weeks 8 and 32 or < 2.6 at week 32, despite an increase in methotrexate dose to 20 mg/wk.
• The primary outcome was the longitudinal disease activity measured by DAS28-CRP over 104 weeks.
• The secondary outcomes included disease control at 28 weeks post randomization and the use of biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs at week 104.

TAKEAWAY:

• Early introduction of etanercept in patients with RA did not show long-term superiority over leflunomide in disease control over 2 years (P = .157).
• At 28 weeks post randomization, the percentage of patients who achieved a DAS28-CRP < 2.6 was higher in the etanercept group than in the leflunomide group (59% vs 44%).
• After stopping etanercept, disease activity scores worsened, and a lower proportion of patients achieved DAS28-CRP < 2.6 in the etanercept group than in the leflunomide group (55% vs 69%) at week 104.
• Even after treatment with etanercept or leflunomide, the 110 early insufficient responders never reached the same level of disease control as the 142 patients who responded to methotrexate and bridging glucocorticoids within weeks 8-32.

IN PRACTICE:

“The CareRA2020 trial did not completely solve the unmet need of patients responding insufficiently to conventional initial therapy for early RA, but it provides opportunities to further optimize the treatment approach in this population, for instance, by focusing on the identification of potential subgroups with different disease activity trajectories within the early insufficient responder group,” wrote the authors.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Delphine Bertrand of the Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center in the Department of Development and Regeneration at KU Leuven in Belgium, and was published online on August 7, 2024, in RMD Open.

LIMITATIONS:

The open-label design of the study may have introduced bias, as patients and investigators were aware of the treatment. The temporary administration of etanercept may not have reflected its long-term effects. The study was conducted in Belgium, which limited the generalizability of the findings to other populations.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre. Some authors reported serving as speakers or receiving grants, consulting fees, honoraria, or meeting or travel support from financial ties with Novartis, Pfizer, Amgen, and other pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Treatment with etanercept led to faster disease control initially in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an insufficient early response to methotrexate and bridging glucocorticoids therapy, but more patients achieved disease control with leflunomide at 104 weeks.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted CareRA2020, a randomized controlled trial including 276 patients with early RA who were initially treated with oral methotrexate 15 mg/wk and a step-down prednisone scheme, with early insufficient responders (n = 110) randomized to add etanercept 50 mg/wk or leflunomide 10 mg/d for 24 weeks.
• Patients were classified as early insufficient responders if they did not achieve a 28-joint Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) < 3.2 between weeks 8 and 32 or < 2.6 at week 32, despite an increase in methotrexate dose to 20 mg/wk.
• The primary outcome was the longitudinal disease activity measured by DAS28-CRP over 104 weeks.
• The secondary outcomes included disease control at 28 weeks post randomization and the use of biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs at week 104.

TAKEAWAY:

• Early introduction of etanercept in patients with RA did not show long-term superiority over leflunomide in disease control over 2 years (P = .157).
• At 28 weeks post randomization, the percentage of patients who achieved a DAS28-CRP < 2.6 was higher in the etanercept group than in the leflunomide group (59% vs 44%).
• After stopping etanercept, disease activity scores worsened, and a lower proportion of patients achieved DAS28-CRP < 2.6 in the etanercept group than in the leflunomide group (55% vs 69%) at week 104.
• Even after treatment with etanercept or leflunomide, the 110 early insufficient responders never reached the same level of disease control as the 142 patients who responded to methotrexate and bridging glucocorticoids within weeks 8-32.

IN PRACTICE:

“The CareRA2020 trial did not completely solve the unmet need of patients responding insufficiently to conventional initial therapy for early RA, but it provides opportunities to further optimize the treatment approach in this population, for instance, by focusing on the identification of potential subgroups with different disease activity trajectories within the early insufficient responder group,” wrote the authors.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Delphine Bertrand of the Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center in the Department of Development and Regeneration at KU Leuven in Belgium, and was published online on August 7, 2024, in RMD Open.

LIMITATIONS:

The open-label design of the study may have introduced bias, as patients and investigators were aware of the treatment. The temporary administration of etanercept may not have reflected its long-term effects. The study was conducted in Belgium, which limited the generalizability of the findings to other populations.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre. Some authors reported serving as speakers or receiving grants, consulting fees, honoraria, or meeting or travel support from financial ties with Novartis, Pfizer, Amgen, and other pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Treatment with etanercept led to faster disease control initially in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an insufficient early response to methotrexate and bridging glucocorticoids therapy, but more patients achieved disease control with leflunomide at 104 weeks.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted CareRA2020, a randomized controlled trial including 276 patients with early RA who were initially treated with oral methotrexate 15 mg/wk and a step-down prednisone scheme, with early insufficient responders (n = 110) randomized to add etanercept 50 mg/wk or leflunomide 10 mg/d for 24 weeks.
• Patients were classified as early insufficient responders if they did not achieve a 28-joint Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) < 3.2 between weeks 8 and 32 or < 2.6 at week 32, despite an increase in methotrexate dose to 20 mg/wk.
• The primary outcome was the longitudinal disease activity measured by DAS28-CRP over 104 weeks.
• The secondary outcomes included disease control at 28 weeks post randomization and the use of biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs at week 104.

TAKEAWAY:

• Early introduction of etanercept in patients with RA did not show long-term superiority over leflunomide in disease control over 2 years (P = .157).
• At 28 weeks post randomization, the percentage of patients who achieved a DAS28-CRP < 2.6 was higher in the etanercept group than in the leflunomide group (59% vs 44%).
• After stopping etanercept, disease activity scores worsened, and a lower proportion of patients achieved DAS28-CRP < 2.6 in the etanercept group than in the leflunomide group (55% vs 69%) at week 104.
• Even after treatment with etanercept or leflunomide, the 110 early insufficient responders never reached the same level of disease control as the 142 patients who responded to methotrexate and bridging glucocorticoids within weeks 8-32.

IN PRACTICE:

“The CareRA2020 trial did not completely solve the unmet need of patients responding insufficiently to conventional initial therapy for early RA, but it provides opportunities to further optimize the treatment approach in this population, for instance, by focusing on the identification of potential subgroups with different disease activity trajectories within the early insufficient responder group,” wrote the authors.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Delphine Bertrand of the Skeletal Biology and Engineering Research Center in the Department of Development and Regeneration at KU Leuven in Belgium, and was published online on August 7, 2024, in RMD Open.

LIMITATIONS:

The open-label design of the study may have introduced bias, as patients and investigators were aware of the treatment. The temporary administration of etanercept may not have reflected its long-term effects. The study was conducted in Belgium, which limited the generalizability of the findings to other populations.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre. Some authors reported serving as speakers or receiving grants, consulting fees, honoraria, or meeting or travel support from financial ties with Novartis, Pfizer, Amgen, and other pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Compared with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODOLOGY:

• GLP-1 RAs reduce the risk for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and stroke in patients with diabetes. However, previous trials have excluded those with IMIDs, leaving a gap in understanding the cardioprotective effects of GLP-1 RAs in this population.
• Researchers conducted a population-based cohort study to assess if patients with an IMID derive greater benefits from GLP-1 RAs than DPP-4 inhibitors.
• They used administrative health data from British Columbia, Canada, to include 10,855 patients with IMIDs (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic disease, ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease) and T2D who initiated either GLP-1 RA (n = 3570) or DPP-4 inhibitor (n = 7285).
• The mean follow-up was 1.46 and 1.88 years in the GLP-1 RA and DPP-4 inhibitor cohorts, respectively.
• The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was MACE, including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke.

TAKEAWAY:

• The risk for all-cause mortality was 52% lower in patients who initiated GLP-1 RAs than in those who initiated DPP-4 inhibitors (weighted hazard ratio [HR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.75).
• Additionally, patients initiating DPP-4 inhibitors.
• In the subgroup of patients with GLP-1 RAs had a significantly lower risk for MACE (weighted HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.50-0.88), particularly myocardial infarction (weighted HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.96), than those initiating rheumatoid arthritis and T2D, those who initiated GLP-1 RAs had a 55% lower risk for all-cause mortality and 61% lower risk for MACE than those who initiated DPP-4 inhibitors.

IN PRACTICE:

“This corresponds to nine fewer deaths and 11 fewer MACE per 1000 person-years, respectively, supporting the hypothesis that these agents have a cardioprotective effect in this high-risk population,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Derin Karacabeyli, MD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and was published online on August 8, 2024, in PLOS ONE.

LIMITATIONS:

The study’s dependence on administrative health data might have resulted in incomplete capture of comorbidities, particularly obesity. The mean follow-up period was relatively short, which might have limited the long-term applicability of these findings. The accuracy of the case definitions for IMIDs and T2D, according to International Classification of Diseases codes, could not be fully ascertained.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Two authors declared receiving research support, consulting fees, or participating in advisory boards outside the submitted work.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Compared with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODOLOGY:

• GLP-1 RAs reduce the risk for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and stroke in patients with diabetes. However, previous trials have excluded those with IMIDs, leaving a gap in understanding the cardioprotective effects of GLP-1 RAs in this population.
• Researchers conducted a population-based cohort study to assess if patients with an IMID derive greater benefits from GLP-1 RAs than DPP-4 inhibitors.
• They used administrative health data from British Columbia, Canada, to include 10,855 patients with IMIDs (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic disease, ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease) and T2D who initiated either GLP-1 RA (n = 3570) or DPP-4 inhibitor (n = 7285).
• The mean follow-up was 1.46 and 1.88 years in the GLP-1 RA and DPP-4 inhibitor cohorts, respectively.
• The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was MACE, including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke.

TAKEAWAY:

• The risk for all-cause mortality was 52% lower in patients who initiated GLP-1 RAs than in those who initiated DPP-4 inhibitors (weighted hazard ratio [HR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.75).
• Additionally, patients initiating DPP-4 inhibitors.
• In the subgroup of patients with GLP-1 RAs had a significantly lower risk for MACE (weighted HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.50-0.88), particularly myocardial infarction (weighted HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.96), than those initiating rheumatoid arthritis and T2D, those who initiated GLP-1 RAs had a 55% lower risk for all-cause mortality and 61% lower risk for MACE than those who initiated DPP-4 inhibitors.

IN PRACTICE:

“This corresponds to nine fewer deaths and 11 fewer MACE per 1000 person-years, respectively, supporting the hypothesis that these agents have a cardioprotective effect in this high-risk population,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Derin Karacabeyli, MD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and was published online on August 8, 2024, in PLOS ONE.

LIMITATIONS:

The study’s dependence on administrative health data might have resulted in incomplete capture of comorbidities, particularly obesity. The mean follow-up period was relatively short, which might have limited the long-term applicability of these findings. The accuracy of the case definitions for IMIDs and T2D, according to International Classification of Diseases codes, could not be fully ascertained.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Two authors declared receiving research support, consulting fees, or participating in advisory boards outside the submitted work.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

Compared with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODOLOGY:

• GLP-1 RAs reduce the risk for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and stroke in patients with diabetes. However, previous trials have excluded those with IMIDs, leaving a gap in understanding the cardioprotective effects of GLP-1 RAs in this population.
• Researchers conducted a population-based cohort study to assess if patients with an IMID derive greater benefits from GLP-1 RAs than DPP-4 inhibitors.
• They used administrative health data from British Columbia, Canada, to include 10,855 patients with IMIDs (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic disease, ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease) and T2D who initiated either GLP-1 RA (n = 3570) or DPP-4 inhibitor (n = 7285).
• The mean follow-up was 1.46 and 1.88 years in the GLP-1 RA and DPP-4 inhibitor cohorts, respectively.
• The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcome was MACE, including cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke.

TAKEAWAY:

• The risk for all-cause mortality was 52% lower in patients who initiated GLP-1 RAs than in those who initiated DPP-4 inhibitors (weighted hazard ratio [HR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.75).
• Additionally, patients initiating DPP-4 inhibitors.
• In the subgroup of patients with GLP-1 RAs had a significantly lower risk for MACE (weighted HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.50-0.88), particularly myocardial infarction (weighted HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.40-0.96), than those initiating rheumatoid arthritis and T2D, those who initiated GLP-1 RAs had a 55% lower risk for all-cause mortality and 61% lower risk for MACE than those who initiated DPP-4 inhibitors.

IN PRACTICE:

“This corresponds to nine fewer deaths and 11 fewer MACE per 1000 person-years, respectively, supporting the hypothesis that these agents have a cardioprotective effect in this high-risk population,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Derin Karacabeyli, MD, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and was published online on August 8, 2024, in PLOS ONE.

LIMITATIONS:

The study’s dependence on administrative health data might have resulted in incomplete capture of comorbidities, particularly obesity. The mean follow-up period was relatively short, which might have limited the long-term applicability of these findings. The accuracy of the case definitions for IMIDs and T2D, according to International Classification of Diseases codes, could not be fully ascertained.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Two authors declared receiving research support, consulting fees, or participating in advisory boards outside the submitted work.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE: 

Ultrasonography reveals tendon involvement in nearly 70% of the patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA), with no significant impact on hand function or pain. Tendon damage was more frequent in the flexor tendons, while tenosynovitis was more common in the extensor tendons.

METHODOLOGY:

• Tendon damage is commonly associated with radiographic damage in rheumatoid arthritis and is a typical finding in psoriatic arthritis; however, data on tendon involvement in hand OA are scarce.
• Researchers assessed tendon involvement, its impact on pain and hand function, and its association with radiographic features in hand OA.
• They conducted a cross-sectional, monocenter observational study including 86 patients with hand OA (mean age, 65.9 years; 87.2% women) and 23 age- and sex-matched control individuals without bony enlargement and hand pain at a tertiary center of rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease in Vienna.
• Clinical examination and ultrasonography were used to assess the extensor and flexor tendons of both hands for tenosynovitis and tendon damage.
• Participants completed the Modified Score for the Assessment and Quantification of Chronic Rheumatoid Affections of the Hands (M-SACRAH) questionnaire and the Moberg pickup test for the assessment of hand function, stiffness, and pain.

TAKEAWAY:

• Ultrasonography identified tendon involvement in a higher proportion of patients with hand OA than in control individuals (69.8% vs 8.7%; P < .01).
• In patients with hand OA, the flexor tendons were more commonly affected by tendon damage than the extensor tendons (2.1% vs 0.9%; P = .03), whereas tenosynovitis was more prevalent in the extensor tendons than in the flexor tendons (8.0% vs 0.6%; P < .001).
• No significant association was found between tendon involvement and hand function or self-reported pain.
• The sensitivity and specificity of clinical evaluation in identifying tendon involvement were 14.5% and 83.8%, respectively.

IN PRACTICE:

“Physicians treating patients with hand OA should keep the high prevalence of tendon involvement in mind,” the authors wrote. “In case of clinical suspicion, a sonographic examination should be performed. If tenosynovitis or tendon damage is detected, treatment may be tailored accordingly.”

SOURCE:

The study, led by Irina Gessl, MD, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna in Austria, was published online on August 7, 2024, in Rheumatology.

LIMITATIONS: 

The study lacked a standardized clinical examination and a preferred method for detecting tenosynovitis and tendon damage. The lack of a separate evaluation of clinical tenderness in individual joints may have hindered a more comprehensive assessment of pain. The M-SACRAH questionnaire is validated for assessing the overall hand function in patients with hand OA and rheumatoid arthritis but not tendon involvement.

DISCLOSURES:

The Medical Scientific Fund of the Mayor of the City of Vienna supported the study. Some authors reported receiving personal fees, grants, royalties, or licenses and being part of speakers bureau for various pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE: 

Ultrasonography reveals tendon involvement in nearly 70% of the patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA), with no significant impact on hand function or pain. Tendon damage was more frequent in the flexor tendons, while tenosynovitis was more common in the extensor tendons.

METHODOLOGY:

• Tendon damage is commonly associated with radiographic damage in rheumatoid arthritis and is a typical finding in psoriatic arthritis; however, data on tendon involvement in hand OA are scarce.
• Researchers assessed tendon involvement, its impact on pain and hand function, and its association with radiographic features in hand OA.
• They conducted a cross-sectional, monocenter observational study including 86 patients with hand OA (mean age, 65.9 years; 87.2% women) and 23 age- and sex-matched control individuals without bony enlargement and hand pain at a tertiary center of rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease in Vienna.
• Clinical examination and ultrasonography were used to assess the extensor and flexor tendons of both hands for tenosynovitis and tendon damage.
• Participants completed the Modified Score for the Assessment and Quantification of Chronic Rheumatoid Affections of the Hands (M-SACRAH) questionnaire and the Moberg pickup test for the assessment of hand function, stiffness, and pain.

TAKEAWAY:

• Ultrasonography identified tendon involvement in a higher proportion of patients with hand OA than in control individuals (69.8% vs 8.7%; P < .01).
• In patients with hand OA, the flexor tendons were more commonly affected by tendon damage than the extensor tendons (2.1% vs 0.9%; P = .03), whereas tenosynovitis was more prevalent in the extensor tendons than in the flexor tendons (8.0% vs 0.6%; P < .001).
• No significant association was found between tendon involvement and hand function or self-reported pain.
• The sensitivity and specificity of clinical evaluation in identifying tendon involvement were 14.5% and 83.8%, respectively.

IN PRACTICE:

“Physicians treating patients with hand OA should keep the high prevalence of tendon involvement in mind,” the authors wrote. “In case of clinical suspicion, a sonographic examination should be performed. If tenosynovitis or tendon damage is detected, treatment may be tailored accordingly.”

SOURCE:

The study, led by Irina Gessl, MD, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna in Austria, was published online on August 7, 2024, in Rheumatology.

LIMITATIONS: 

The study lacked a standardized clinical examination and a preferred method for detecting tenosynovitis and tendon damage. The lack of a separate evaluation of clinical tenderness in individual joints may have hindered a more comprehensive assessment of pain. The M-SACRAH questionnaire is validated for assessing the overall hand function in patients with hand OA and rheumatoid arthritis but not tendon involvement.

DISCLOSURES:

The Medical Scientific Fund of the Mayor of the City of Vienna supported the study. Some authors reported receiving personal fees, grants, royalties, or licenses and being part of speakers bureau for various pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE: 

Ultrasonography reveals tendon involvement in nearly 70% of the patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA), with no significant impact on hand function or pain. Tendon damage was more frequent in the flexor tendons, while tenosynovitis was more common in the extensor tendons.

METHODOLOGY:

• Tendon damage is commonly associated with radiographic damage in rheumatoid arthritis and is a typical finding in psoriatic arthritis; however, data on tendon involvement in hand OA are scarce.
• Researchers assessed tendon involvement, its impact on pain and hand function, and its association with radiographic features in hand OA.
• They conducted a cross-sectional, monocenter observational study including 86 patients with hand OA (mean age, 65.9 years; 87.2% women) and 23 age- and sex-matched control individuals without bony enlargement and hand pain at a tertiary center of rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease in Vienna.
• Clinical examination and ultrasonography were used to assess the extensor and flexor tendons of both hands for tenosynovitis and tendon damage.
• Participants completed the Modified Score for the Assessment and Quantification of Chronic Rheumatoid Affections of the Hands (M-SACRAH) questionnaire and the Moberg pickup test for the assessment of hand function, stiffness, and pain.

TAKEAWAY:

• Ultrasonography identified tendon involvement in a higher proportion of patients with hand OA than in control individuals (69.8% vs 8.7%; P < .01).
• In patients with hand OA, the flexor tendons were more commonly affected by tendon damage than the extensor tendons (2.1% vs 0.9%; P = .03), whereas tenosynovitis was more prevalent in the extensor tendons than in the flexor tendons (8.0% vs 0.6%; P < .001).
• No significant association was found between tendon involvement and hand function or self-reported pain.
• The sensitivity and specificity of clinical evaluation in identifying tendon involvement were 14.5% and 83.8%, respectively.

IN PRACTICE:

“Physicians treating patients with hand OA should keep the high prevalence of tendon involvement in mind,” the authors wrote. “In case of clinical suspicion, a sonographic examination should be performed. If tenosynovitis or tendon damage is detected, treatment may be tailored accordingly.”

SOURCE:

The study, led by Irina Gessl, MD, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna in Austria, was published online on August 7, 2024, in Rheumatology.

LIMITATIONS: 

The study lacked a standardized clinical examination and a preferred method for detecting tenosynovitis and tendon damage. The lack of a separate evaluation of clinical tenderness in individual joints may have hindered a more comprehensive assessment of pain. The M-SACRAH questionnaire is validated for assessing the overall hand function in patients with hand OA and rheumatoid arthritis but not tendon involvement.

DISCLOSURES:

The Medical Scientific Fund of the Mayor of the City of Vienna supported the study. Some authors reported receiving personal fees, grants, royalties, or licenses and being part of speakers bureau for various pharmaceutical companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

A smartphone app that delivers acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a type of cognitive behavioral therapy, improves overall well-being and reduces the severity of pain, fatigue, sleep issues, and depression to a greater extent than daily symptom tracking in patients with fibromyalgia.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted the phase 3 PROSPER-FM trial at 25 community sites in the United States to assess the efficacy and safety of digital ACT for patients with fibromyalgia.
• A total of 275 adult patients aged 22-75 years with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to either the digital ACT group (n = 140) or the active control group (n = 135) for 12 weeks.
• Patients in the digital ACT group received a self-guided, smartphone-delivered program in which they learned and practiced the core ACT skills of acceptance, values, mindfulness, defusion, self as context, and willingness and committed action to build psychological flexibility, while the control group underwent daily symptom tracking and received educational materials.
• The primary endpoint was the response rate on the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) at week 12, which is an indicator of patient well-being.
• The secondary endpoints included changes in the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-R) total score and pain intensity, pain interference, and sleep interference scores.

TAKEAWAY:

• At week 12, 71% of the patients in the digital ACT group responded with a minimally improved or better change in the PGIC response, compared with only 22% of the patients in the control group (P < .0001).
• The digital ACT group showed a significant reduction in the impact of fibromyalgia, with a between-group effect size of d = 0.65 (P < .0001) at week 12. The FIQ-R total score significantly improved within 3 weeks of using the self-guided digital ACT app.
• The use of digital ACT also demonstrated positive effects on the levels of weekly pain intensity (P = .001) and depression (P < .0001), compared with the control group.
• No serious adverse effects related to the app were reported, and both groups demonstrated high rates of adherence, with most (72%) participants in the digital ACT group completing at least 42 sessions.

IN PRACTICE:

“The results found in the study are essential for professionals who care for patients with fibromyalgia as they present a new viable treatment alternative,” Guilherme Torres Vilarino, PhD, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil, wrote in an accompanying editorial.

SOURCE:

This study was led by R. Michael Gendreau, MD, PhD, Gendreau Consulting, Poway, California. It was published online  in The Lancet.

LIMITATIONS:

The study population predominantly consisted of women and White individuals, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to more diverse populations. Additionally, the study was conducted in the United States, and the results may thus not be applicable to other countries with different racial, ethnic, educational, and economic characteristics. The study duration was 12 weeks, and the long-term benefits of digital ACT have not yet been shown.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was funded by Swing Therapeutics. Seven authors declared having stock options and/or receiving salary from Swing Therapeutics. Other authors reported having many ties with several sources, including Swing Therapeutics.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

A smartphone app that delivers acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a type of cognitive behavioral therapy, improves overall well-being and reduces the severity of pain, fatigue, sleep issues, and depression to a greater extent than daily symptom tracking in patients with fibromyalgia.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted the phase 3 PROSPER-FM trial at 25 community sites in the United States to assess the efficacy and safety of digital ACT for patients with fibromyalgia.
• A total of 275 adult patients aged 22-75 years with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to either the digital ACT group (n = 140) or the active control group (n = 135) for 12 weeks.
• Patients in the digital ACT group received a self-guided, smartphone-delivered program in which they learned and practiced the core ACT skills of acceptance, values, mindfulness, defusion, self as context, and willingness and committed action to build psychological flexibility, while the control group underwent daily symptom tracking and received educational materials.
• The primary endpoint was the response rate on the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) at week 12, which is an indicator of patient well-being.
• The secondary endpoints included changes in the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-R) total score and pain intensity, pain interference, and sleep interference scores.

TAKEAWAY:

• At week 12, 71% of the patients in the digital ACT group responded with a minimally improved or better change in the PGIC response, compared with only 22% of the patients in the control group (P < .0001).
• The digital ACT group showed a significant reduction in the impact of fibromyalgia, with a between-group effect size of d = 0.65 (P < .0001) at week 12. The FIQ-R total score significantly improved within 3 weeks of using the self-guided digital ACT app.
• The use of digital ACT also demonstrated positive effects on the levels of weekly pain intensity (P = .001) and depression (P < .0001), compared with the control group.
• No serious adverse effects related to the app were reported, and both groups demonstrated high rates of adherence, with most (72%) participants in the digital ACT group completing at least 42 sessions.

IN PRACTICE:

“The results found in the study are essential for professionals who care for patients with fibromyalgia as they present a new viable treatment alternative,” Guilherme Torres Vilarino, PhD, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil, wrote in an accompanying editorial.

SOURCE:

This study was led by R. Michael Gendreau, MD, PhD, Gendreau Consulting, Poway, California. It was published online  in The Lancet.

LIMITATIONS:

The study population predominantly consisted of women and White individuals, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to more diverse populations. Additionally, the study was conducted in the United States, and the results may thus not be applicable to other countries with different racial, ethnic, educational, and economic characteristics. The study duration was 12 weeks, and the long-term benefits of digital ACT have not yet been shown.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was funded by Swing Therapeutics. Seven authors declared having stock options and/or receiving salary from Swing Therapeutics. Other authors reported having many ties with several sources, including Swing Therapeutics.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

TOPLINE:

A smartphone app that delivers acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a type of cognitive behavioral therapy, improves overall well-being and reduces the severity of pain, fatigue, sleep issues, and depression to a greater extent than daily symptom tracking in patients with fibromyalgia.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted the phase 3 PROSPER-FM trial at 25 community sites in the United States to assess the efficacy and safety of digital ACT for patients with fibromyalgia.
• A total of 275 adult patients aged 22-75 years with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to either the digital ACT group (n = 140) or the active control group (n = 135) for 12 weeks.
• Patients in the digital ACT group received a self-guided, smartphone-delivered program in which they learned and practiced the core ACT skills of acceptance, values, mindfulness, defusion, self as context, and willingness and committed action to build psychological flexibility, while the control group underwent daily symptom tracking and received educational materials.
• The primary endpoint was the response rate on the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) at week 12, which is an indicator of patient well-being.
• The secondary endpoints included changes in the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ-R) total score and pain intensity, pain interference, and sleep interference scores.

TAKEAWAY:

• At week 12, 71% of the patients in the digital ACT group responded with a minimally improved or better change in the PGIC response, compared with only 22% of the patients in the control group (P < .0001).
• The digital ACT group showed a significant reduction in the impact of fibromyalgia, with a between-group effect size of d = 0.65 (P < .0001) at week 12. The FIQ-R total score significantly improved within 3 weeks of using the self-guided digital ACT app.
• The use of digital ACT also demonstrated positive effects on the levels of weekly pain intensity (P = .001) and depression (P < .0001), compared with the control group.
• No serious adverse effects related to the app were reported, and both groups demonstrated high rates of adherence, with most (72%) participants in the digital ACT group completing at least 42 sessions.

IN PRACTICE:

“The results found in the study are essential for professionals who care for patients with fibromyalgia as they present a new viable treatment alternative,” Guilherme Torres Vilarino, PhD, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil, wrote in an accompanying editorial.

SOURCE:

This study was led by R. Michael Gendreau, MD, PhD, Gendreau Consulting, Poway, California. It was published online  in The Lancet.

LIMITATIONS:

The study population predominantly consisted of women and White individuals, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to more diverse populations. Additionally, the study was conducted in the United States, and the results may thus not be applicable to other countries with different racial, ethnic, educational, and economic characteristics. The study duration was 12 weeks, and the long-term benefits of digital ACT have not yet been shown.

DISCLOSURES:

This study was funded by Swing Therapeutics. Seven authors declared having stock options and/or receiving salary from Swing Therapeutics. Other authors reported having many ties with several sources, including Swing Therapeutics.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Since the first Food and Drug Administration approval of a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor in 2011, the number of these medications available — and their treatment indications — have continued to grow. Prescribing physicians are familiar with the benefits and risks for these drugs, including higher risk for cardiac events and malignancy; however, one adverse effect may be overlooked, especially by specialties outside of dermatology: acne. Though less serious than some other side effects, JAK inhibitor–associated acne — JAKne, for short — can be a concern for patients.

“Your physical appearance and how you present yourself to the world is an important part of your self-confidence and living life on your own terms,” said Arash Mostaghimi, MD, the director of inpatient dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. “I think letting people know about [JAKne] and then addressing it when it occurs should be a normal part of managing these medications.”
 

What Is JAKne?

JAKne generally looks like other kinds of acne, explained Janelle Nassim, MD, director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. “It can affect the same areas that typical acne affects, including the face, chest, back, neck, and upper shoulders.”

Though it appears like typical forms of acne, it is not clear what drives these skin eruptions in patients taking JAK inhibitors.

courtesy Brigham and Women&#039;s Hospital

“We don’t understand the underlying pathophysiology,” Dr. Mostaghimi said. “It looks like acne, but we don’t know if the exact underlying inflammatory process is the same or if it’s different.”

In a 2023 systematic review of clinical studies, Dr. Mostaghimi and colleagues found that patients on any JAK inhibitor were nearly four times more likely to experience acne than patients who received placebo, but risk varied between medications. Patients taking JAK inhibitors for skin conditions had higher risk for acne than those given the medications for other indications. However, Dr. Mostaghimi thinks this finding is the result of selection bias.

Participants may not mention side effects like acne in trials for rheumatologic or gastrointestinal conditions, he said, unlike in trials for skin conditions. “Clinically, I’ve seen it in patients across every indication.”

Patients with a history of acne seem to be more likely to develop this side effect, though formal studies looking into risk factors are lacking. In Dr. Mostaghimi’s own clinical experience, JAKne is also more common in younger patients, but it can happen to anyone. “I’ve seen 70-year-olds develop acne — patients who’ve never had an issue their whole life — when they’re taking a JAK inhibitor.”

This issue also appears to be more common earlier in treatment, he added, and may improve over time as a patient continues with the medication.
 

How Do You Treat It?

“I think in other specialties, you will often feel awkward addressing skin conditions or pointing out acne,” Dr. Mostaghimi said. The most important steps are being aware of this potential side effect, and if you see it practice, to bring it up.

“Say: I’m noticing there’s some changes in your skin. Some patients on JAK inhibitors develop more acne. Have you noticed this? And if so, is this bothering you?”

Generally, JAKne is mild to moderate, explained Dr. Nassim, and if non-dermatologists are comfortable, they can prescribe a first-line topical regimen for patients. Dr. Mostaghimi recommends prescribing a clindamycin 1% lotion or gel. In addition, patients can use a benzoyl peroxide wash (4% or 10%) combined with a gentle retinoid, such as adapalene. (Both of these treatments are now available over the counter.)

courtesy Harvard Medical School

In patients with scalp or hairline involvement, he often prescribes a ketoconazole 2% shampoo, which patients can use to wash their scalp, face, chest, and back in the shower.

If they aren’t responding to these initial treatments, then refer to a dermatologist for further assessment.

“Ultimately, referring to a dermatologist is the best course of action,” Dr. Nassim said. “I have had patients on JAK inhibitors who improved with topical acne treatments, and some that required more aggressive treatment with oral medications.”

Dr. Mostaghimi reported consulting fees from AbbVie, Concert Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and 3Derm Systems; research funding from Incyte, Aclaris Therapeutics, Eli Lilly, and Concert Pharmaceuticals; personal fees from Equillium, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, ACOM, and Boehringer Ingelheim; and advisory board fees from Fig.1 Beauty, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Hims & Hers Health. Dr. Nassim had no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Since the first Food and Drug Administration approval of a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor in 2011, the number of these medications available — and their treatment indications — have continued to grow. Prescribing physicians are familiar with the benefits and risks for these drugs, including higher risk for cardiac events and malignancy; however, one adverse effect may be overlooked, especially by specialties outside of dermatology: acne. Though less serious than some other side effects, JAK inhibitor–associated acne — JAKne, for short — can be a concern for patients.

“Your physical appearance and how you present yourself to the world is an important part of your self-confidence and living life on your own terms,” said Arash Mostaghimi, MD, the director of inpatient dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. “I think letting people know about [JAKne] and then addressing it when it occurs should be a normal part of managing these medications.”
 

What Is JAKne?

JAKne generally looks like other kinds of acne, explained Janelle Nassim, MD, director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. “It can affect the same areas that typical acne affects, including the face, chest, back, neck, and upper shoulders.”

Though it appears like typical forms of acne, it is not clear what drives these skin eruptions in patients taking JAK inhibitors.

courtesy Brigham and Women&#039;s Hospital

“We don’t understand the underlying pathophysiology,” Dr. Mostaghimi said. “It looks like acne, but we don’t know if the exact underlying inflammatory process is the same or if it’s different.”

In a 2023 systematic review of clinical studies, Dr. Mostaghimi and colleagues found that patients on any JAK inhibitor were nearly four times more likely to experience acne than patients who received placebo, but risk varied between medications. Patients taking JAK inhibitors for skin conditions had higher risk for acne than those given the medications for other indications. However, Dr. Mostaghimi thinks this finding is the result of selection bias.

Participants may not mention side effects like acne in trials for rheumatologic or gastrointestinal conditions, he said, unlike in trials for skin conditions. “Clinically, I’ve seen it in patients across every indication.”

Patients with a history of acne seem to be more likely to develop this side effect, though formal studies looking into risk factors are lacking. In Dr. Mostaghimi’s own clinical experience, JAKne is also more common in younger patients, but it can happen to anyone. “I’ve seen 70-year-olds develop acne — patients who’ve never had an issue their whole life — when they’re taking a JAK inhibitor.”

This issue also appears to be more common earlier in treatment, he added, and may improve over time as a patient continues with the medication.
 

How Do You Treat It?

“I think in other specialties, you will often feel awkward addressing skin conditions or pointing out acne,” Dr. Mostaghimi said. The most important steps are being aware of this potential side effect, and if you see it practice, to bring it up.

“Say: I’m noticing there’s some changes in your skin. Some patients on JAK inhibitors develop more acne. Have you noticed this? And if so, is this bothering you?”

Generally, JAKne is mild to moderate, explained Dr. Nassim, and if non-dermatologists are comfortable, they can prescribe a first-line topical regimen for patients. Dr. Mostaghimi recommends prescribing a clindamycin 1% lotion or gel. In addition, patients can use a benzoyl peroxide wash (4% or 10%) combined with a gentle retinoid, such as adapalene. (Both of these treatments are now available over the counter.)

courtesy Harvard Medical School

In patients with scalp or hairline involvement, he often prescribes a ketoconazole 2% shampoo, which patients can use to wash their scalp, face, chest, and back in the shower.

If they aren’t responding to these initial treatments, then refer to a dermatologist for further assessment.

“Ultimately, referring to a dermatologist is the best course of action,” Dr. Nassim said. “I have had patients on JAK inhibitors who improved with topical acne treatments, and some that required more aggressive treatment with oral medications.”

Dr. Mostaghimi reported consulting fees from AbbVie, Concert Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and 3Derm Systems; research funding from Incyte, Aclaris Therapeutics, Eli Lilly, and Concert Pharmaceuticals; personal fees from Equillium, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, ACOM, and Boehringer Ingelheim; and advisory board fees from Fig.1 Beauty, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Hims & Hers Health. Dr. Nassim had no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Since the first Food and Drug Administration approval of a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor in 2011, the number of these medications available — and their treatment indications — have continued to grow. Prescribing physicians are familiar with the benefits and risks for these drugs, including higher risk for cardiac events and malignancy; however, one adverse effect may be overlooked, especially by specialties outside of dermatology: acne. Though less serious than some other side effects, JAK inhibitor–associated acne — JAKne, for short — can be a concern for patients.

“Your physical appearance and how you present yourself to the world is an important part of your self-confidence and living life on your own terms,” said Arash Mostaghimi, MD, the director of inpatient dermatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. “I think letting people know about [JAKne] and then addressing it when it occurs should be a normal part of managing these medications.”
 

What Is JAKne?

JAKne generally looks like other kinds of acne, explained Janelle Nassim, MD, director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis. “It can affect the same areas that typical acne affects, including the face, chest, back, neck, and upper shoulders.”

Though it appears like typical forms of acne, it is not clear what drives these skin eruptions in patients taking JAK inhibitors.

courtesy Brigham and Women&#039;s Hospital

“We don’t understand the underlying pathophysiology,” Dr. Mostaghimi said. “It looks like acne, but we don’t know if the exact underlying inflammatory process is the same or if it’s different.”

In a 2023 systematic review of clinical studies, Dr. Mostaghimi and colleagues found that patients on any JAK inhibitor were nearly four times more likely to experience acne than patients who received placebo, but risk varied between medications. Patients taking JAK inhibitors for skin conditions had higher risk for acne than those given the medications for other indications. However, Dr. Mostaghimi thinks this finding is the result of selection bias.

Participants may not mention side effects like acne in trials for rheumatologic or gastrointestinal conditions, he said, unlike in trials for skin conditions. “Clinically, I’ve seen it in patients across every indication.”

Patients with a history of acne seem to be more likely to develop this side effect, though formal studies looking into risk factors are lacking. In Dr. Mostaghimi’s own clinical experience, JAKne is also more common in younger patients, but it can happen to anyone. “I’ve seen 70-year-olds develop acne — patients who’ve never had an issue their whole life — when they’re taking a JAK inhibitor.”

This issue also appears to be more common earlier in treatment, he added, and may improve over time as a patient continues with the medication.
 

How Do You Treat It?

“I think in other specialties, you will often feel awkward addressing skin conditions or pointing out acne,” Dr. Mostaghimi said. The most important steps are being aware of this potential side effect, and if you see it practice, to bring it up.

“Say: I’m noticing there’s some changes in your skin. Some patients on JAK inhibitors develop more acne. Have you noticed this? And if so, is this bothering you?”

Generally, JAKne is mild to moderate, explained Dr. Nassim, and if non-dermatologists are comfortable, they can prescribe a first-line topical regimen for patients. Dr. Mostaghimi recommends prescribing a clindamycin 1% lotion or gel. In addition, patients can use a benzoyl peroxide wash (4% or 10%) combined with a gentle retinoid, such as adapalene. (Both of these treatments are now available over the counter.)

courtesy Harvard Medical School

In patients with scalp or hairline involvement, he often prescribes a ketoconazole 2% shampoo, which patients can use to wash their scalp, face, chest, and back in the shower.

If they aren’t responding to these initial treatments, then refer to a dermatologist for further assessment.

“Ultimately, referring to a dermatologist is the best course of action,” Dr. Nassim said. “I have had patients on JAK inhibitors who improved with topical acne treatments, and some that required more aggressive treatment with oral medications.”

Dr. Mostaghimi reported consulting fees from AbbVie, Concert Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and 3Derm Systems; research funding from Incyte, Aclaris Therapeutics, Eli Lilly, and Concert Pharmaceuticals; personal fees from Equillium, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, ACOM, and Boehringer Ingelheim; and advisory board fees from Fig.1 Beauty, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and Hims & Hers Health. Dr. Nassim had no relevant disclosures.

A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.

Systemic amyloidosis is a rare and complex disease characterized by the extracellular deposition of misfolded proteins, known as amyloid fibrils, in various tissues and organs. This heterogeneous disorder can present with a wide range of clinical manifestations, including dermatological symptoms that may be the first or predominant feature. Systemic amyloidosis is characterized by macroglossia, periorbital purpura, and waxy skin plaques. Lateral scalloping of the tongue may be seen due to impingement of the teeth. Cutaneous amyloidosis occurs when amyloid is deposited in the skin, without internal organ involvement. Variants of cutaneous amyloidosis include macular, lichen, nodular and biphasic.

This condition requires a thorough diagnostic workup, including serum and urine protein electrophoresis and biopsy of the affected tissue. Biopsy of a cutaneous amyloidosis lesion will show fractured, amorphous, eosinophilic material in the dermis. Pigment and epidermal changes are often found with cutaneous amyloidosis, including hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, hypergranulosis, parakeratosis, and epidermal atrophy. Stains that may be used include Congo red showing apple-green birefringence, thioflavin T, and crystal violet.

If untreated, the prognosis is generally poor, related to the extent of organ involvement. Cardiac involvement, a common feature of systemic amyloidosis, can lead to restrictive cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Management strategies include steroids, chemotherapy, and stem cell transplantation. Medications include dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and melphalan.

Dr. Bilu Martin is a board-certified dermatologist in private practice at Premier Dermatology, MD, in Aventura, Florida. More diagnostic cases are available at mdedge.com/dermatology. To submit a case for possible publication, send an email to dermnews@mdedge.com.

References

1. Brunt EM, Tiniakos DG. Clin Liver Dis. 2004 Nov;8(4):915-30, x. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2004.06.009.

2. Bolognia JL et al. (2017). Dermatology E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

3. Mehrotra K et al. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017 Aug;11(8):WC01-WC05. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2017/24273.10334.

4. Banypersad SM et al. J Am Heart Assoc. 2012 Apr;1(2):e000364. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.111.000364.

5. Bustamante JG, Zaidi SRH. Amyloidosis. [Updated 2023 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.

Systemic amyloidosis is a rare and complex disease characterized by the extracellular deposition of misfolded proteins, known as amyloid fibrils, in various tissues and organs. This heterogeneous disorder can present with a wide range of clinical manifestations, including dermatological symptoms that may be the first or predominant feature. Systemic amyloidosis is characterized by macroglossia, periorbital purpura, and waxy skin plaques. Lateral scalloping of the tongue may be seen due to impingement of the teeth. Cutaneous amyloidosis occurs when amyloid is deposited in the skin, without internal organ involvement. Variants of cutaneous amyloidosis include macular, lichen, nodular and biphasic.

This condition requires a thorough diagnostic workup, including serum and urine protein electrophoresis and biopsy of the affected tissue. Biopsy of a cutaneous amyloidosis lesion will show fractured, amorphous, eosinophilic material in the dermis. Pigment and epidermal changes are often found with cutaneous amyloidosis, including hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, hypergranulosis, parakeratosis, and epidermal atrophy. Stains that may be used include Congo red showing apple-green birefringence, thioflavin T, and crystal violet.

If untreated, the prognosis is generally poor, related to the extent of organ involvement. Cardiac involvement, a common feature of systemic amyloidosis, can lead to restrictive cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Management strategies include steroids, chemotherapy, and stem cell transplantation. Medications include dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and melphalan.

Dr. Bilu Martin is a board-certified dermatologist in private practice at Premier Dermatology, MD, in Aventura, Florida. More diagnostic cases are available at mdedge.com/dermatology. To submit a case for possible publication, send an email to dermnews@mdedge.com.

References

1. Brunt EM, Tiniakos DG. Clin Liver Dis. 2004 Nov;8(4):915-30, x. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2004.06.009.

2. Bolognia JL et al. (2017). Dermatology E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

3. Mehrotra K et al. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017 Aug;11(8):WC01-WC05. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2017/24273.10334.

4. Banypersad SM et al. J Am Heart Assoc. 2012 Apr;1(2):e000364. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.111.000364.

5. Bustamante JG, Zaidi SRH. Amyloidosis. [Updated 2023 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.

Systemic amyloidosis is a rare and complex disease characterized by the extracellular deposition of misfolded proteins, known as amyloid fibrils, in various tissues and organs. This heterogeneous disorder can present with a wide range of clinical manifestations, including dermatological symptoms that may be the first or predominant feature. Systemic amyloidosis is characterized by macroglossia, periorbital purpura, and waxy skin plaques. Lateral scalloping of the tongue may be seen due to impingement of the teeth. Cutaneous amyloidosis occurs when amyloid is deposited in the skin, without internal organ involvement. Variants of cutaneous amyloidosis include macular, lichen, nodular and biphasic.

This condition requires a thorough diagnostic workup, including serum and urine protein electrophoresis and biopsy of the affected tissue. Biopsy of a cutaneous amyloidosis lesion will show fractured, amorphous, eosinophilic material in the dermis. Pigment and epidermal changes are often found with cutaneous amyloidosis, including hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, hypergranulosis, parakeratosis, and epidermal atrophy. Stains that may be used include Congo red showing apple-green birefringence, thioflavin T, and crystal violet.

If untreated, the prognosis is generally poor, related to the extent of organ involvement. Cardiac involvement, a common feature of systemic amyloidosis, can lead to restrictive cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Management strategies include steroids, chemotherapy, and stem cell transplantation. Medications include dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and melphalan.

Dr. Bilu Martin is a board-certified dermatologist in private practice at Premier Dermatology, MD, in Aventura, Florida. More diagnostic cases are available at mdedge.com/dermatology. To submit a case for possible publication, send an email to dermnews@mdedge.com.

References

1. Brunt EM, Tiniakos DG. Clin Liver Dis. 2004 Nov;8(4):915-30, x. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2004.06.009.

2. Bolognia JL et al. (2017). Dermatology E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

3. Mehrotra K et al. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017 Aug;11(8):WC01-WC05. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2017/24273.10334.

4. Banypersad SM et al. J Am Heart Assoc. 2012 Apr;1(2):e000364. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.111.000364.

5. Bustamante JG, Zaidi SRH. Amyloidosis. [Updated 2023 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.