Controversies In The Management Of Rheumatic Diseases

Guest edited by Drs. Jonathan Kay and Sergio Schwartzman, this issue of Rheumatic Disease Clinics will cover Controversies in Rheumatology. This issue is one of four selected each year by our series Consulting Editor, Dr. Michael Weisman of Cedars-Sinai. Articles explore several questions, including, but not limited to: Is triple therapy or methotrexate plus a biologic the initial treatment of choice for RA patients; Is hypo or hyper-uricemia a risk requiring treatment for cardiac morbidity and mortality; Are there benefits and risks to biosimilars from a patient perspective; Should platelet-rich plasma be used to treat osteoarthritis; Is there a role for stem cell therapy to treat cartilage defects in osteoarthritis; Should any rheumatology patient, today, be treated with bone marrow ablation and stem cell transplantation; Is there effective prevention, prophylaxis, or treatment for CPPD arthritis; Is fibromyalgia a psychiatric disease or a pain syndrome; Should cyclophosphamide still be used to treat ANCA-associated vasculitis; Does methotrexate have a place in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis; Should hydroxychloroquine dosing be limited because of potential ocular toxicity; and Should generalized immunosuppression or targeted organ treatment be the best principle for overall management of SLE.