The HCPLive conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.
47th Annual Gastroenterology Update: Rationale for Combination Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
November 18th 2011Dr. Jean-Paul Achker said there is room for improvement of response rates with current treatment approaches. "There may be a limited window of time to maximize anti-TNFα therapy, as evidenced by the observed loss of response over time, the need to increase the dose of anti-TNFα therapy, and immunogenicity," he said.
47th Annual Gastroenterology Update: Biologic Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Part 2
November 17th 2011Ahmed Kandiel, MD, MPH, at the Cleveland Clinic concluded his lecture, "Which Patient/Which Biologic," by reviewing the results of a recently published meta-analysis which examined the risks and benefits of biologic therapy for patients with moderate-to-severe IBD.
47th Annual Gastroenterology Update: Biologic Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Part 1
November 17th 2011Ahmed Kandiel, MD, MPH, kicked off the 47th Annual Gastroenterology Update with a thorough review of the current treatment landscape for moderate to severe inflammatory bowel disease, including the potential risks for side effects for each biologic agent.
Highlights from 47th Annual Gastroenterology Update at the Cleveland Clinic [Podcast]
November 17th 2011Bret Lashner, MD, MPH, FACG, shares his thoughts about the first day of the 47th Annual Gastroenterology Update at the Cleveland Clinic, including the recent developments with inflammatory bowel disease and hepatitis C therapy.
ACAAI 2011: Pathogenesis and Subtypes of Chronic Rhinosinusitis
November 10th 2011"The small number of patients that go on to develop chronic rhinosinusitis accumulates to about 15% of the population, making it an important disease," said Dr. Michael A. Kaliner during his lecture on chronic rhinosinusitis.
ACAAI 2011: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Sinusitis/ Rhinosinusitis, Part 2
November 9th 2011Although categorizing chronic rhinosinusitis is complex, CRS with or without nasal polyps is one way to initially begin classification. Prolonged duration of RS symptoms (>8-12 weeks) is the primary reason to evaluate patients for CRS. Dr. Meltzer emphasized the need to differentiate CRS from recurrent episodes of ARS.
ACAAI 2011: Vitamin D and Asthma, Part 2
November 8th 2011There are conflicting data regarding whether vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for asthma. Observational studies have linked low vit D status with impaired lung capacity, increased airway hyperresponsiveness, corticosteroid unresponsiveness, relatively poor asthma control, and higher rates of asthma-related hospitalization.
ACR 2011: Dealing with Loss of Data in Clinical Trials
There is a lot of work involved in producing a successful clinical trial. Even the planning stage alone can take a significant amount of time. But when data is incomplete-especially in longitudinal clinical trials-it can be a real struggle for organizers.
ACR 2011: Early Aggressive Therapy in Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis [VIDEO]
November 8th 2011One of the more exciting parts of the conference has been the ability to sit in and listen to highlighted studies that are selected by the ACR. This press conference features Carol Wallace, MD, Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Institute, Seattle, WA, speaking about her study and answering questions from the audience.
With more patients and practitioners expressing interest in non-Western modes of healing and other complementary and alternative forms of medicine, researchers are studying whether traditional Chinese methods like tai chi are effective in treating arthritis and other painful conditions.
ACR 2011: Challenges in Helping Patients Understand Risks and Benefits of Medications [VIDEO]
November 8th 2011Marcus Owen, MD, practices rheumatology and internal medicine in Nashville, TN. In this video, Dr. Joseph Kim talks with Dr. Owen about what he hopes to take away from this year's ACR conference and also speaks about some of the biggest challenges he faces in helping patients understand risk and benefit of medications.
ACR 2011: Advice on Contract Negotiations for Physicians
Negotiating a contract for a position in academia, industry, or private practice can be a complex and nerve-wracking process, with many physicians unsure of which questions to ask and which elements of their compensation beyond salary are negotiable.
ACR 2011: The Debate Over Medical Marijuana Continues
Although there is some evidence showing treatment with medical marijuana can benefit patients with arthritis, chronic pain, and other conditions, there are also serious concerns over quality control, non-standardized dosing, and other potential safety risks.
ACR 2011: Transitioning the Pediatric Rheumatology Patient
Transitioning an adolescent or teenager from a pediatric rheumatologist to an adult rheumatologist can be a very delicate and complicated process. With so many pitfalls along the way, it's easy to see why this problem has been occurring more and more. The good news? It's a very "fixable" problem.
ACR 2011: The Goal of Meaningful Use Is to Improve the Quality of Care
With Medicare and Medicaid incentives scheduled to start this year, physicians owe it to their patients and their practices to learn about the requirements to qualify as meaningful users of health care technology.
ACR 2011: Getting Policymakers to Take Musculoskeletal Conditions More Seriously
Professor Anthony Woolf, Consultant Rheumatologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospital and Professor of Rheumatology at the Peninsula Medical School, Truro, UK, posed a very important question in his presentation at ACR on Monday: "How do we get policymakers to take musculoskeletal conditions seriously?"
ACAAI 2011: Cutting Cat Dander and Allergic Response
Pets can cause a variety of health problems for those with sensitivities but there are environmental changes that can help, according to Dana Wallace, MD, PA, associate clinical professor, Nova Southeastern University.