Top in rheumatology: Beta-blockers for pain, airborne transmission of Kawasaki disease

British researchers found that beta-blockers were associated with a reduced risk for primary care consultations for knee osteoarthritis and knee and hip pain. A review of the findings was the top story in rheumatology last week.

Another top story was about the unchanged incidence of Kawasaki disease in Japan before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because the disease incidence remained stable while respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections declined amid quarantine measures, researchers suggested that Kawasaki disease may be spread through airborne rather than contact or droplet transmission.

Read these and more top stories in rheumatology below:

Beta-blockers may reduce risk for knee osteoarthritis, hip/knee pain

Common beta-blockers are associated with a reduced cumulative risk for knee osteoarthritis, knee pain and hip pain consultations, according to data published in Rheumatology. Read more.

Stable Kawasaki disease incidence during COVID-19 quarantine suggests airborne transmission

Despite COVID-19 quarantine measures, Kawasaki disease incidence was unchanged in Japan compared with significant declines in respiratory tract and gastrointestinal infections, indicating airborne rather than contact or droplet transmission. Read more.

Rituximab should be 'prescribed with caution' due to possible risk for severe COVID-19

Rituximab was associated with more severe COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, according to data published in The Lancet Rheumatology. Read more.

Scleritis incidence drops 34% in UK over 22 years, 'likely' due to improved IMID care

The incidence of scleritis declined by about a third in the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2018, according to data published in Arthritis & Rheumatology. Read more.

Darker skin tones 'significantly underrepresented' in major rheumatology image banks

Darker skin tones are “significantly underrepresented” in rheumatology clinical image banks, including the American College of Rheumatology Image Library and The New England Journal of Medicine Images in Clinical Medicine, according to data. Read more.