Rheum Round-up: Oklahoma Tries To Return Unused HCQ, Should You See A Rheumatologist? And More

Oklahoma Wants To Return $2 Million Worth of Unused Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)

The aftermath of the hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) saga continues. The Oklahoma attorney general’s office is seeking to return $2 million worth of unused HCQ, the drug former President Donald J. Trump pushed as a COVID-19 treatment, according to reports. The news was first reported by The Frontier, which noted that Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt called for the large purchase in April and said at the time that even if the drug did not prove to be effective in COVID-19, “that money will not have gone to waste in any respect.”

According to Oklahoma News 4, however, not a single pill was used. The office of the attorney general for the state is now attempting to return the stockpile to its original manufacturer, FFF Enterprises, Inc., a private pharmaceutical wholesaler based in California.

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/rheumatology-picks/oklahoma-wants-to-return-2-million-worth-of-unused-hydroxychloroquine/

Smoking, Overweight, And Low Alcohol Consumption Responsible for One in Three Cases of RA

Lifestyle factors contribute to about a third of all cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study. The factors in question were smoking, overweight and obesity, and low alcohol consumption.

The meta-analysis revealed an increased risk for RA in former and current smokers. The risk of RA in people who were overweight and obese was 1.27-fold. For every 50 g of alcohol consumed each week, there was an 8% reduced risk for RA. The population attributable fraction value of smoking was 14%; excess body mass index, 14.73%; and low alcohol intake, 8.21%. When adding the three factors together, smoking, overweight or obesity, and low level of alcohol consumption constituted 32.69% of cases of RA.

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/rheumatology-picks/smoking-overweight-and-low-alcohol-consumption-responsible-for-one-in-three-cases-of-ra/

Can This Surgery Prevent or Delay Total Knee Replacement?

High tibial osteotomy (HTO) prevented total knee replacement (TKR) in nearly 80% of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee after 10 years, according to a study. A total of 556 patients underwent 643 HTOs. The five-year cumulative incidence of TKR was 5%, and 10-year incidence was 21%.

Lead study author Codie Primeau said that HTO may be a good option for younger patients with less severe joint damage who are more active, noting that this population of patients makes up a significant portion of knee OA patients. “There is a treatment gap between exhausting nonoperative treatments and appropriateness for joint replacement, resulting in many years of pain, lost productivity and associated costs,” he said in a press release.

https://www.docwirenews.com/condition-center/orthopedicscc/orthopedics-center-picks/can-this-surgery-prevent-or-delay-total-knee-replacement/

For Patients: 4 Reasons To See a Rheumatologist

From the blog: Everyone experiences joint pain from time to time, but not all pain warrants a trip to a specialist. So how do you know if your joint pain means it’s time to see a rheumatologist? If you’re feeling new pain, your first visit should be to your primary care physician, who may ultimately refer you for a number of reasons. In this blog post, we explore four reasons why you may consider seeing a rheumatologist.

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/rheumatology-picks/4-reasons-to-see-a-rheumatologist/