Rheumatoid Arthritis Pathophysiology

One of the most common causes of emergency department (ED) admissions is chest pain. The latter has a vast differential diagnosis varying from mild to lethal conditions. EFN is an unusual benign cause of chest pain and is often not acknowledged [1].  To our knowledge, there are no reports linking COVID-19 infection to epicardial fat necrosis (EFN) in Lebanon. Thus, here we submit a case of EFN in a young male patient with a recent history of COVID-19 infection. A 19-year-old male patient, previously healthy, presented to the ED for acute onset chest pain and dyspnea. A review of the systems is significant for smoking history, vaccinated double dose against SARS-CoV-2, with a recent (two weeks prior to presentation) polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-proven COVID-19 infection consisting of generalized fatigue and fever without any associated respiratory symptoms (mild disease course). Family history is not significant for any cardiac disease....

Avoiding certain foods high in purine and managing weight may help prevent the painful symptoms of gout and stop it from developing in the first place. Understanding how food affects gout and what to eat can help someone manage their symptoms. Gout is a form of arthritis that can happen when too much uric acid in the body causes crystals to form in the joints, resulting in pain and inflammation. Diet plays an important role in gout as certain foods can cause excess uric acid, or hyperuricemia. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise that eating a healthy diet and avoiding becoming overweight can help someone manage their symptoms. This article looks at how a person can eat to manage and prevent gout, including which foods to eat and which foods to avoid. When planning a diet for gout, someone should aim to limit or avoid the following types of foods. Foods high in purines The body produces purine compounds, and people also ingest them from food. Purin...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Evolving epidemiology of pneumocystis pneumonia: Findings from a longitudinal population-based study and a retrospective multi-center study in Germany    The Lancet

Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNP) are at the forefront of healthcare taking care of some of the sickest and frailest patients in the country. This guide will help provide you with the information needed to understand the job responsibilities, tuition costs and curriculum, the top neonatal NP programs, and salary opportunities for neonatal NPs.  Fast Facts about Neonatal Nurse Practitioners Salary $120,680 per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Program Length 2-5 years Requirements Minimum of two years of nursing experience in a Level III NICU within the last five years Professional resume or curriculum vitae Satisfactory completion of an accredited baccalaureate program with at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale Unencumbered, active RN license in the state of practice  Top 10 Neonatal NP Programs  Choosing a Neonatal NP program is a very large decision. Nurse.org has compiled a list of some of...

May 03, 2022 2 min read Source/Disclosures Disclosures: Contoli reports grants, personal fees and non‐financial support from Chiesi and GlaxoSmithKline; personal fees and non‐financial support from ALK-Abelló, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis and Zambon; and grants from University of Ferrara, Italy, outside the submitted work. Please see the study for all other authors' relevant financial disclosures. ADD TOPIC TO EMAIL ALERTS Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email...

Is a deep, chesty cough keeping your little one up all night? Your child may have bronchitis. Also called a chest cold, acute bronchitis is an illness where the large airways to the lungs known as bronchi swell and then make excess mucus. The cough comes on suddenly and generally goes away within 3 weeks with no specific treatment necessary, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The American Lung Association (ALA) says acute bronchitis is generally caused by a viral infection. This is known as viral bronchitis. But it can also be caused by bacteria in the bronchi, which is known as bacterial bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is another possibility, though 2020 research suggests chronic cough is rare in children. It produces similar symptoms, but they may last much longer, usually beyond 4 weeks . Here's more about what symptoms your child may experience with bronchitis, how this condition is diagnosed, and what antibiotic and over-the-counter (OTC) optio...

Asthma is inflammation of the airways that carry air to and from the lungs. Symptoms include things like shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing or wheezing. It's a common condition. In the United States, 1 in 13 people — both children and adults — have asthma. While there is no cure for asthma, avoiding triggers and taking certain medications can help manage and relieve symptoms. Here's what you need to know about asthma, what type of disease it is, and how it affects your immune system. In short, no. Asthma is not considered an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases develop when the body's immune system sees healthy tissues, organs, or cells as a threat. The immune system then attacks various parts of the body, which can cause a host of symptoms (joint pain, skin rash, heart issues, etc.) as a result. Scientists have identified more than 80 autoimmune diseases. Examples include: So, what is asthma? While asthma is also caused by an immune response, it is not...

NIAID, CC license About 25 million adults and children in the U.S. have asthma. Now a clinical study shows patients worldwide who used a new combination of two drugs dramatically lowered their chances of suffering an acute attack. Results from the trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine, show that a combination of albuterol—which provides relief from an asthma attack by relaxing the smooth muscles and is used for immediate asthma relief—and a corticosteroid taken together via an inhaler, lower the number of sudden episodes of shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing in patients, which can often land them in an emergency room or, in some cases, cause death. "This represents a paradigm shift in the treatment of asthma. We see this combination treatment, which is the first of its kind, as becoming part of standard therapy," said author Reynold Panettieri Jr., a professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The Phase 3 clinical stud...

Mepolizumab and benralizumab are highly effective for patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference 2022, held in San Francisco, CA, May 13 to 18. Mepolizumab, an anti-interleukin-5 (IL-5) antibody, and benralizumab, an anti-IL-5 receptor alpha antibody, are biologics approved for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma. The difference in treatment efficacy between these antibodies has yet to be elucidated. Researchers in Japan therefore conducted a retrospective study to compare the clinical efficacy of these antibodies in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. The researchers evaluated changes in asthma control test (ACT) scores and lung function at 4, 8, and 24 weeks after initiation of mepolizumab and benralizumab in 29 patients who received these antibodies between 2016 and 2021. Among the patients studied, 6 had switched from mepolizumab to benralizumab, and 3 ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] Gout in Ankle: Overview, Causes, and Treatment    Healthgrades

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, autoimmune disease in which the body's own immune system attacks healthy tissues. RA most commonly affects the connective tissue surrounding joints ( synovium ), leading to the classic symptoms of joint swelling and stiffness. However, since RA can affect various organs of the body, a wide array of nonspecific symptoms may develop. This is especially true in the early stages of the disease, when people may experience vague and general symptoms. In turn, this can lead to a delay in receiving treatment. This article discusses how to identify some of the more common early signs and symptoms of RA, as well as when to see a healthcare provider. Grace Cary / Moment / Getty Images Early Signs of RA With over 100 different forms of arthritis, it is not uncommon—especially early in the disease—for symptoms to be ignored or even misdiagnosed. However, over time, more specific signs and symptoms begin to arise. ...

To lower uric acid levels, you can eat less purines in your diet, get more vitamin C, limit alcohol and sugary drinks, drink more coffee, and try to maintain a healthy weight. If you're taking certain medications for other health conditions, stopping them may also help lower your uric acid levels. It's important to lower uric acid levels to reduce your risk of gout and some types of kidney stones.  This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Linehan, a urologist who is an associate professor of urologic oncology at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice.  About 20% of people have high uric acid levels, according to the Mayo Clinic. About two-thirds of people with high uric acid levels, however, don't experience any symptoms.  Here's what you need to know about uric acid and how...