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December 2009

Effect of Pilates Training on People With Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS): A Pilot Study. We suggest Pilates as an effective and safe method for people with FMS. We believe that further research with more participants and longer follow-up periods could help assess the therapeutic value of this popular physical exercise method. L. Altan, MD. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Vol 90, Issue 12, Pp 1983-1988. December 2009. (Also see: Treatments of FMS)

Fibromyalgia (FM): The diagnosis and pharmacologic treatment. Recently, three drugs: pregabalin, duloxetine and milnacipran have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of FM. D. Buskila. European Journal of Pain. November 2009. (Also see: Treatments of FMS)

Role and place of methotrexate in vasculitis management. Methotrexate is a folic acid analog with a favorable efficacy-to-toxicity ratio that has been used for many years to treat a variety of inflammatory arthropathies, thereby explaining the growing interest in its use for systemic vasculitides. However, it should be prescribed with caution or avoided in vasculitis patients with impaired renal function. (FutureMedicine) C. Pagnoux. International Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. December 2009. (Also see: Vasculitis and Medications)

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in autoimmune diseases. Growing experience with autologous HCST in autoimmune diseases has progressively reduced concerns about transplant-related mortality and secondary myelodysplasia/leukemia. Therefore, a sustained complete remission seems to be within the reach of autografting in some autoimmune diseases; in others, the indications, risks and benefits of autografting need to be better defined. C. Annaloro. Expert Review of Hematology. December 2009. (Also see: Treating Autoimmunity)

The relationship between race, cigarette smoking and carotid intimal medial thickness (mIMT) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Black women, but not White, with SLE with a history of smoking have higher mIMT measurements than those who have never smoked. This is the first report documenting the race-specific effect of smoking on subclinical measures of cardiovascular disease in SLE. (SageJournals) LV Scalzi. Lupus. December 1 2009. (Also see: Lupus and Heart Disease)

The immunoregulatory role of vitamins A, D and E in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). Our data suggest that fat-soluble vitamins may be important in immunoregulatory processes in patients with pSS. P. Szodoray. Rheumatology Advance Access. November 27 2009. (Also see: Sjögren's)