Blog
Welcome to our blog! Explore educational content ranging from innovative treatments to insightful medical knowledge, curated by Dr. Rezaian, a specialist in Rheumatology and Internal Medicine.
Revolutionizing Inflammatory Spine Care: The Power of Anti-IL-17 Drugs
Anti-IL-17 Drugs: A Guide Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a protein that plays a crucial role in the body’s immune response. While it’s important for fighting infections, too much IL-17 can lead to inflammation and various autoimmune diseases, such as psoriasis, psoriatic...
Improving Lives: Dual Therapy Approach for Interstitial Lung Disease Proves Effective
This study explored the effectiveness and safety of nintedanib (NTB), a drug approved for progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease (PF-ILD), in combination with immunosuppressive agents (IS) for treating connective tissue disease-associated PF-ILD (CTD-PF-ILD)....
High Stakes in IgG4-Related Diseases: The Significance of Low Complements
Background IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an autoimmune condition that can affect various organs. Some patients with IgG4-RD have low levels of complement proteins in their blood. This study aimed to compare the characteristics and disease activity of IgG4-RD...
Paxlovid Plus Vaccination: A Lifesaver for Rheumatology Patients Against COVID-19
Researchers at the University of Kentucky studied whether Paxlovid, an antiviral drug, can help prevent hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 in people with rheumatological diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. These diseases often require treatments that suppress...
Safeguarding Against Pneumocystis: Efficacy of TMP/SMX in Autoimmune Disease Management
This systematic review and meta-analysis led by Athanasios Vassilopoulos and colleagues focuses on the effectiveness of prophylactic Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) in preventing Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia (PJP) among patients with Autoimmune...
Hepatitis B Reactivation with Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Choices
This study, presented at ACR Convergence 2023 by Akhil Sood, Janice Lin, and Neha Shah from Stanford University, examines the risk of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are being treated with either JAK inhibitors or...
Rituximab-Induced Immunoglobulin Deficiency: A Closer Look at Infection Outcomes
The article “Risk of Severe Infections Associated with Immunoglobulin Deficiency Under Rituximab Therapy in Immune Mediated Inflammatory Diseases” by Claire Rempenault and colleagues evaluates the connection between severe infections and immunoglobulin deficiency in...
Shingles in the Shadows: The Increased Vulnerability of Autoimmune Patients
The article titled “Herpes Zoster Prevalence in Patients with Rheumatic Diseases” from the ACR Convergence 2023, authored by a team led by Rodrigo J. Castillo-de la Garza, explores the occurrence of herpes zoster (commonly known as shingles) in patients...
Seeing Clearly: Unveiling the Risks of Retinal Toxicity from Long-term Hydroxychloroquine Therapy
The article titled “The Prevalence and Risk Factors of Retinal Toxicity Associated with Long-term Hydroxychloroquine Use” by Sophie Do and colleagues from Kaiser SCAL, Fontana, CA, explores the eye-related side effects of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), a...
Chronic Intersection: Exploring Long Covid Effects in Arthritis Patients
The article “Long Covid in Persons with Self-Reported Arthritis – Symptoms, Associated Factors and Functional Limitations” by Debbie Ehrmann Feldman and Barbara Mazer explores the impact of long Covid on individuals with arthritis. Presented at ACR...
Meet The Author
M M Rezaian, MD
Rheumatology
Dr. Rezaian, who has dedicated over thirty years to the practice of Rheumatology, focuses on the utilization of biologic therapies for treating rheumatic diseases, the study of Spondyloarthropathy, and the innovative field of Telemedicine. He is connected with the WVU Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia.