Rituximab or Azathioprine for EGPA Maintenance? A French study has shown that rituximab is more effective than azathioprine at maintaining remission in patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) on chronic prednisone. https://t.co/UrHqPBVibn https://t.co/ZumTjOcrEa

Takayasu Arteritis: Do TNFis or IL-6- inhibitors come out on top? The treatment of active TAK is imperative to quiet vascular inflammation and subsequently maintain vascular integrity while preventing vessel damage. https://t.co/J1EQHGzR5O https://t.co/w3rQ3AbrYt

Medicaid adults w/ new low back pain Rx w/ higher-dose opioids have a 2.5 fold risk of later opioid use disorder or overdose. Retro study of ~400K opioid naive LBP pts https://t.co/9CTqaQ17vz https://t.co/hCY9KwCqLx

CLARITY-1 & CLARITY-2 Phase 3 Trials show Brepocitinib effective in Non-Infectious Uveitis. 371 pts Rx w. brepocitinib 45 mg or placebo x48wks w/ 2 wks of Pred taper. Time to Rx failure greater w/ BREP (48 vs 12 wks PBO; p<0.0001)https://t.co/EBaWe7TJbt https://t.co/UVg188eEHZ

Beverages & relative risk of hyperuricemia (HUA) & gout. Metanalysis of 52 studies shows alcohol has signif high risk of gout (OR  1.8) & HUA (OR 1.5); & sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) incr gout (1.37) & HUA (1.48); as well as tea for HUA among female (OR = 1.29). Coffee https://t.co/nq1fKvOlgv

High TB & LTBI burden in Latin America. Review of PANLAR registry 590 IMID pts (54% GC, 44% bDMARDs (TNFi), 29% JAKi, 27% csDMARD). Only 430 (73%) had TB screening- 59 (14%) Dx w/ LTBI. @12 mos, 99 repeat TB screening - 5 new LTBI cases Dx. Only 2 (0.34%) had active TB. (CDC https://t.co/wnPdEueb4N

Rheum Survey on SCLE> In your clinic, what is the most common cause of drug-induced subacute cutaneous lupus (SCLE). CLICK HERE>> https://t.co/LdnYIw0Qw3 https://t.co/qWUqwFpLta

Novartis announced the European Commission has approved secukinumab (Cosentyx) for use in adults w/ polymyalgia rheumatica, not responding to GCs. SEC is 1st IL-17A inhibitor approved in Europe for PMR https://t.co/ASTwbSrGr2 https://t.co/KtH0AIatdq

Two crystals in one joint? Cryptococcus risk doubled with JAK inhibitors? And early damage in Sjögren’s linked to a 12–14-fold increase in lymphoma risk? Dr. Jack Cush breaks down the findings behind the numbers in this week's RheumNow roundup: - JAK inhibitors: Cryptococcal https://t.co/4RkznhyoIt

TENS does NOT work in knee OA (KOA). Sham controlled RCT of 96 KOA pts (all Rx w/ exercise) randomized to TENS or sham show no betw group difference in KOOS score at 1 mo, nor did they achieve the minimal clinically important difference. https://t.co/1xPtNn7MM0 https://t.co/GLCfzWP39D

Systematic review of CV outcomes w/ SGLT2 inhibitors- 5 studies, 11,190 IMID pts (SSc 25%, SLE 71%) SGLT2i use assoc w/ signif lower all-cause mortality and heart failure risk (no clear MI benefit). SGLT2i have establ use in NIDDM, CHF & CKD Pts. https://t.co/U28aBsQpJ8 https://t.co/g9Ak2MCJEN

JAMA Uveitis review: Uveitis peaks at 20–50 yrs; 41–60% is anterior. ~40 linked to systemic disease (HLA-B27=axSpA). 1st exclude infection (TB, toxo, herpes). Anterior UV: topical steroids. Posterior/pan UV: DMARDs first (MTX remission 52%, MMF 71%); adalimumab if refractory https://t.co/jQQGzhAm7c

van Vollenhoven’s Treatment Advances in Lupus Professor van Vollenhoven has compiled a state-of-the-art review on lupus treatment advances – current and future. SLE management is entering an unprecedented phase. https://t.co/5oCf60XmuJ https://t.co/8TGC1Y4Cqp

Comorbidity management is subpar in Rheum. Surveys of 2213 inflamm rheum Dz pts & 140 rheumatologists. Rheums think theyre OK (71-92%) screening (HTN, OP, vaccines, CA), but pts say NOT (12=33%).Rheums agree they have no structured comorbidity screening in place (time 91%, https://t.co/mqcptziRdw

Impact of Myositis in Scleroderma Patients Systemic sclerosis (SSc) may have overlap features such as myositis. When present, myositis in SSc is associated with an increased risk of cardiac involvement and a shift in mortality away from ILD towards a greater cardiac risk. https://t.co/bKYP9FmadY