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COVID 19 Updates from RheumNow

Ides of March (3.15.2024)

Dr. Jack Cush has advice for Caesar and the superstitious, and covers pregnancy, platelets, dialysis and vaccinations in Lupus.

MMWR: Vaccination and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children

CDC

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare but serious condition typically occurring 2–6 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection and characterized by fever and multiorgan involvement.  The current MMWR report shows that MIS-C case numbers have decreased by 98% since 2021.

COVIDs Extended Risk for Rheumatic Disease

EurekAlert!

Annals of Internal Medicine reports a large, binational study finding SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with an increased risk for autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) that extends up to 12 months after infe

Best Treatments for COVID-Related MIS-C

The RECOVERY trial focused on pediatric MIS-C patients treated with immunomodulators and anti-cytokine therapy demonstrated the benefits of first-line therapy with intravenous methylprednisolone or second-line tocilizumab in children refractory to initial treatment.

Is MTX Safe in the Elderly? (12.1.2023)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews this past week's news and journal reports from RheumNow.com. Good news is that nearly 99% of adult rheumatology positions matched! But the challenge is that 45% of pediatric fellowship programs and 39% of pediatric rheum slots were unfilled in the 2024 NRMP match.

Sleep Apnea Smart Watches (10.13.2023)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory approvals from this past week on RheumNow.com.

RheumNow Podcast – with Special Guest Dr. Peter Nash (9.15.2023)

This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news with special guest, Dr. Peter Nash. They discuss COVID Autoantibodies, SpA life expectancy, HCQ, extraarticular RA and our approach to Early RA referrals and pre-clinical RA.

Respiratory Burden of RA

Over the last few decades, the availability of biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs has revolutionized the treatment of RA, resulting in improved mortality and lower likelihood of joint deformities and disability.

Pizza and Rheumatoid Arthritis (8.11.2023)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the wonderful wide world of Rheumatology. This week:

Patient Perspectives on Telemedicine Use During the Pandemic

Research from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance included surveys and data gathering from rheumatology patients.

Hold the Methotrexate for One Week

In 2018, Park et al showed optimal responses to influenza vaccination in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients was best achieved by holding methotrexate (MTX) for 2 weeks following immunization, with improved humoral responses.

RA Biologics Lower COVID-19 Deaths, but Not Recovery Time

Do abatacept, cenicriviroc, or infliximab improve time to recovery for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia compared with standard care?

Social

MMWR: Vaccination and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children MIS-C is a rare but serious condition typically occurring 2–6 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection and characterized by fever and multiorgan involvement. https://t.co/PN2MPQxqSR https://t.co/eIzB4pjner
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet )
7 hours 33 minutes ago
COVIDs Extended Risk for Rheumatic Disease Annals of Internal Medicine reports a large, binational study finding SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with an increased risk for AIRDs that extends up to 12 months after infection. https://t.co/HjQ56hiiny https://t.co/vvC3iVqNyF
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet )
1 week 1 day ago
False positive COVID tests (+Rapid Ag; neg PCR) are rare, 1.7% of 11,297 tests; Persistent false positives seen in 13/191 and usually in women, with autoimmune dz (6/13; RA, SLE etc) & using the Quidel QuickVue rapid antigen test https://t.co/Pqkk7uBVcO https://t.co/m6ylQz00Ih
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet )
3 weeks 4 days ago
Best Treatments for COVID-Related MIS-C https://t.co/6Ntdug1eam https://t.co/x6de0DQTZ9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet )
1 month 3 weeks ago
Hydroxychloroquine for COVID may have caused 16,990 deaths. Systematic review of 44 cohort studies showed HCQ use in COVID was associated with 11% increase in mortality in 6 countries (US 12,739, Spain 1,895, Italy 1,822, Belgium 240, France 199,Turkey 95 https://t.co/vmhvSx4XLO https://t.co/KRxqiiSFC3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet )
2 months 1 week ago
🔥 HOT OFF THE PRESS for #ACR23 Effectiveness of a fourth dose of #COVID19 mRNA #vaccine in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases using DMARDs: an emulated target trial https://t.co/bvc75BP4aG @zach_wallace_md @jeffsparks https://t.co/CAlgjvUr9X
The Lancet Rheumatology @TheLancetRheum ( View Tweet )
4 months ago
COVAD2 data: ⬆️proportion of SLE pts from lmHDI countries were on CS(73% vs 59% p=0.0002), antimalarials(81% vs 68% p=0.0002) & IS(66% vs 53%p=0.0009) vs pts from hvhHDI countries Comorbids more in younger pts from lmHDI (prob from CS use) #ACR23 ABST2269 @RheumNow @rheumarhyme https://t.co/4CLGFYG1d0
sheila ( View Tweet )
4 months ago
Kevin. Winthrop knocks it down on WHO is immunocompromised among rheumatic disease pts at Innovation Theater ⁦@CCalabreseDO⁩ #ACR23 ⁦@alhkim⁩ ⁦@AdamJBrownMD⁩ ⁦@ELittlejohnDO⁩ https://t.co/4hFtQgvaIf
Leonard Calabrese @LCalabreseDO ( View Tweet )
4 months ago
Our collaborative study on nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) virologic rebound is out in @AnnalsofIM @DrJLi @zach_wallace_md -Paxlovid: 21% with rebound vs. 2% in untreated (OR 10) https://t.co/RRDxerGdBy

Jeffrey Sparks MD MMSc @jeffsparks ( View Tweet )

4 months ago
Is rituximab still a problem with COVID - esp if our patients have been vaccinated pre-ritux? Antibody titres better when not getting regular ritux around boosters Maybe boosters 9mo (or so) gap after ritux helps immunogenicity @TroldborgAnne et al #ACR23 ABST2511 @RheumNow https://t.co/dE0uC6B9hx
David Liew @drdavidliew ( View Tweet )
4 months ago