Here are the top stories recently covered by DocWire News in the Rheumatology section. In this edition, read an interview with an orthopedic surgeon, advocates’ responses to the nationwide hydroxychloroquine shortages, the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance’s call for data, and muscle quality in people with obesity.
Shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) at hospitals and healthcare centers have become a cause for concern amid the COVID-19 breakout. And according to one orthopedic surgeon, his institution is also implementing a shortage on speaking about the issues plaguing his place of work. The orthopedic surgeon spoke with MDedge on the condition of anonymity. “It’s very clear; no one is allowed to speak for the institution or of the institution,” the surgeon shared. “We get a daily warning about being very prudent about posts on personal accounts. They’ve talked about this with respect to various issues: case numbers, case severity, testing availability, [and] PPEs.”
Nationwide shortages of hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and chloroquine (Aralen) have raised concern among patients who rely on these medications—as well as the advocacy groups who represent these patient populations. Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, antimalarial drugs used to treat patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), have been identified as possible drugs effective in patients with COVID-19. As a result, patients with RA and lupus have had a difficult time obtaining their medications—or been unable to obtain them at all. The Lupus Foundation of America and Arthritis Foundation have partnered to call on pharmacy boards and other involved stakeholders to make sure that patients who rely on these medications are still able to take them.
The COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance is asking clinicians to provide data on their patients who have tested positive for COVID-19. The alliance is a global effort comprised of dozens of different organizations, including the American College of Rheumatology, the European League Against Rheumatism, the British Society of Rheumatology, The Lancet Rheumatology, Arthritis Foundation, and many more. The information form takes about five to 10 minutes to complete and does not ask for any protected health information. All data will be deidentified. The goal of the registry is to help guide clinicians treating rheumatic patients and assessing the risk of infection in immunosuppressed patients.
A study observed a significant prevalence of poor muscle quality among individuals with obesity, and also found that age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) are independent predictors. Irrespective of age, muscle mass, absolute muscle strength and power, and specific muscle strength were higher in men than women. In the younger age group, women had higher specific muscle power. Upon linear regression analyses, higher specific muscle strength was correlated with younger age and male sex, but there was no correlation with BMI. A correlation was observed between a higher specific muscle power and younger age, but not with sex or BMI.
