The article emphasized that the signs and symptoms of arthritis aren’t always an inevitable part of aging. Staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight can help to prevent excessive wear and tear of your joints and to reduce pain if arthritis sets in later in life, Dr. Allen said. Learn more by accessing the … Continued

The study evaluated whether pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis was associated with a higher mortality and risk for immune-related adverse events with immune checkpoint inhibitor use. Joining Dr. Ishizawar in conducting this research were UNC colleagues; Dr. Amanda Lusa, Dr. Todd Schwartz, Carolina Alvarez, and Shruti Saxena Beem. Learn more about the study findings via this summary … Continued

Twenty-five rheumatology fellows from UNC, Duke, Wake Forest, Medical University of South Carolina, and Massachusetts General Hospital participated at the 3-day meeting. Educational sessions consisted of a series of seminars, workshops, and a Rheumatology Observed Structured Clinical Exam (ROSCE). The Carolinas Fellows Collaborative is a biannual meeting with the summer gathering held at Wake Forest … Continued

The grant is a 5-year renewal of existing research funded by the National Institute of Aging. The overall goal of the research project is to understand the mechanisms by which oxidative stress governs development and maintenance of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype in articular joints. Dr. Loeser is Director of the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center, … Continued

A four-year clinical trial led by Edwin Kim, MD, associate professor of medicine and pediatrics, has found that an increased dosage of a unique type of peanut allergy immunotherapy continues to show promise for children.

In addition to joining the ACR’s governing body, Dr. Sheikh has been appointed to serve as the ACR Board of Directors liaison to the Collaborative Initiatives Department (COIN). The COIN department highlights rheumatology’s relevance to the healthcare community and public by using rheumatic diseases as case studies for treating complex disease, advancing health equity, eliminating … Continued

Alpha-Gal Syndrome, or AGS, is a recently identified tick-borne disease that triggers an allergy to red meat and other products made from mammals, including cheese, gelatin, and medications like heparin. Since its discovery in 2009, cases in the United States alone have risen from 24 to >40,000 people, owing to the geographic spread of the … Continued

The findings were identified in an orally susceptible murine model of peanut allergy and in pediatric patients with peanut allergy. Dr. Steinbach characterized increased intestinal epithelial cell barrier permeability in mice with peanut allergy and identified elevated Angiopoietin-like 4 as a possible contributor to this phenomenon. Because severe allergic reactions to peanut are associated with … Continued

The 2-year grant will help build capacity to address health disparities through antimicrobial stewardship telehealth and telemonitoring. The name of the grant is: “A novel patient-led penicillin allergy de-labeling program targeting underserved children through a mobile-enabled virtual platform.” Dr. Kwan is an Allergy & Immunology faculty member in the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center, and … Continued

This novel, randomized clinical trial will evaluate if vitamin K supplementation impacts pain and function in patients with knee OA who are vitamin K insufficient. There is a growing body of epidemiological, genetic and biochemical evidence that vitamin K plays a role in maintaining joint health. The study will provide initial data in support of … Continued

Dr. Richard F. Loeser is the Joseph P. Archie, Jr. Eminent Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology. Dr. Doug Phanstiel – who is in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology – is the principal investigator, and Dr. Loeser is a co-principal investigator for the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and … Continued

Lara Longobardi, PhD, is an associate professor in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology. The research showed early deletion of Ccr2 in aggrecan-expressing cells reduces the initiation, but not the progression, of post traumatic osteoarthritis and its associated pain. View the article published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.