By Jason Liebowitz, MD Last year, a cardiologist at my institution presented the story of a patient he had cared for and correctly diagnosed with a not uncommon condition after several other physicians had failed to do so. The patient was a 72-year-old man with near syncope after exercise for several months, with no other …
By Jason Liebowitz, MD At her Supreme Court confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson recounted a story from her time as a college undergraduate. She recalled being a freshman at Harvard after having attended public school in Miami, Florida, and her transition to life at the university had …
By Jason Liebowitz, MD Background/Purpose: Induction regimens using either cyclophosphamide (CYC) or rituximab (RTX) have been shown to have similar efficacy and similar rates of adverse events in randomized trials of patients with a mean age of 54 yrs. Little is known about outcomes among older patients with ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis (ANCA GN) receiving such therapies. …
What is arthritis? “Arthritis is a medical disease that impacts our joints,” says Brett Smith, DO. He’s a rheumatologist at Tennessee Direct Rheumatology and East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville. “Typically, a joint is smooth and glides in a couple of directions,” he explains. “When arthritis occurs, there can be inflammation surrounding or inside the …
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) affects nearly 30 percent of people living with psoriasis, a chronic condition that causes inflammation in the body. While there’s no cure, there are safe and effective treatments to help reduce the pain, inflammation, and joint damage of PsA and improve your overall health — but only if you get proper medical care. As with any rheumatic condition, the earlier a patient with …
Is Your Psoriatic Arthritis Doctor Right for You? Read More »
By Jason Liebowitz, MD SAN DIEGO — A broader range of autoantibodies may play a role in Sjogren’s syndrome than has previously been appreciated, researchers found. Among 137 patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome, as defined clinically by dry eye disease and positive lip biopsy, 74% had the typical anti-SSA and/or anti-SSB antibodies, while 6% had …
By Jason Liebowitz, MD Since 2014, rheumatology fellows have been assessed not only based on their ability to provide patient care and possession of medical knowledge but also on their skill in serving as patient advocates, navigators of health systems, and members of a health care team. Such assessments have been carried out through the …
By Jason Liebowitz, MD Ask any resident, and he or she will tell you that this oft-quoted meditation from Sir William Osler, the father of modern medicine and guiding light for many an internist, is beautiful in its language yet quaint and seemingly naïve when applied to the present day. What with the unrelenting demands …
By Jason Liebowitz, MD “Mr. B is a 76-year-old Vietnam veteran presenting with profound left sided weakness.” No matter what information was about to follow this opening sentence, I knew this patient was definitely in harm’s way. Sure enough, as the presentation continued, our team learned that Mr. B had noticed decline in his physical …
Don’t wait until it’s too late to discuss your medical care Read More »
By Jason Liebowitz, MD Dr. Eric Dein interviews Professor Zeide and Dr. Jason Liebowitz about a lively ACR21 talk called, “The Gift of Gab,” which guided attendees on how to improve their communications. The acronym RHEUM stands for: R: Remember your purpose H: Have knowledge about your audience E: Engage your audience U: Unlimited practice …
Jason Liebowitz, MD, completed his medical school, residency, and fellowship training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is a physician, writer, and clinical educator at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.