Mindfulness exercises can improve outcomes among patients with inflammatory diseases, according to a speaker at the Basic and Clinical Immunology for the Busy Clinician symposium.

“What we do to regulate our internal experience — in essence, our thoughts, our bodily sensations and our emotions — is one of the most important predictors of health outcomes,” Amanda Shallcross, NDMPH, director of the Center for Research and Training at the Cleveland Clinic, told attendees. “And not just emotional, but physical, as well.”

It was the top story in rheumatology last week.

Another top story was about the complexity of long COVID management and the importance of physicians to “listen empathically” to patients with the condition.

Read these and more top stories in rheumatology below:

Mindfulness helpful in improving physical, mental inflammatory outcomes

Mindfulness exercises may help improve both physical and mental outcomes in patients with inflammatory diseases, according to a speaker at the Basic and Clinical Immunology for the Busy Clinician symposium. Read more.

‘Starting point’ for long COVID management should be treating symptoms, empathy

In the absence of approved long COVID therapies, rheumatologists are encouraged to treat the symptoms and “listen empathically.” Read more.

Future cytokine storm management may rely on biomarkers, predictors

Future strategies for managing cytokine storm may rely on adequately predicting treatment response. Read more.

Mind-body therapies may play role in long COVID health outcomes

Mind-body therapy may play a key role in achieving more positive outcomes for patients with long COVID. Read more.

Young age, adverse drug reactions may signal lung disease in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

The prevalence of systematic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related lung disease appears to be on the rise, and being aware of clinical manifestations is important for catching the disease early. Read more.