A follow-up analysis of a randomized clinical trial found that the use of calcium and vitamin D supplements among postmenopausal women was associated with decreased risk for cancer mortality, but increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

A systematic review of pharmacological treatments for adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) supports the efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ), anakinra (ANK), and canakinumab (CNK).

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

The CDC has updated its Lyme disease surveillance report based on a new case definition. Compared to 2017–2019, the number of cases in 2022 rose by 69%.

According to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), in 2022, the prevalence of diagnosed arthritis in adults was 18.9% (women 21.5%, more than men 16.1%). These numbers are down since the CDC's MMWR report of 2019–2021, where is was estimated 21.2% of U.S.

Data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019, suggests that early-onset osteoarthritis (OA) (before age 55 yrs) is an emerging health issue that parallels societal problems of obesity. 

Having patients waiting for knee arthroplasty undergo a preoperative program of weight loss, exercise, and other interventions gave them modestly improved pain, function, and quality of life, a small randomized trial showed.

In patients with clinically stable systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis, the withdrawal of mycophenolate mofetil was not significantly inferior to mycophenolate maintenance, but MMF withdrawal had numerically more reactivations, while MMF maintenance had more infections.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Are these associations with infection, biomarkers and weather real or imaginary? Linked or luck? Causal or casual?  You decide....

Despite the availability of numerous advanced therapies for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), there remains a substantial burden and unmet need for improved therapies, according to a newly published Canadian study.

A multicenter, double-blind, phase 3, randomized, active-controlled trial has shown that Benralizumab (BEN) was noninferior to mepolizumab (MEP) for the induction of remission of patients with relapsing or refractory Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past 2 weeks on RheumNow.com; but begins with a discussion of what constitutes "immunosuppression" and how it applies to our patients.

There is a longstanding belief that changes in weather conditions, such as impending rain or temperature, can trigger or worsen muscle and joint pain but Australian researchers have found no clear pattern between the two.

The NEJM has published the results of CD19 B cell depletion (by CAR-T cell therapy) in autoimmune disease patients, demonstrating it to be feasible, safe, and efficacious.

The ARIAA trial tested the utility of IV abatacept in individuals ACPA+ arthralgia patients with subclinical inflammation and showed abatacept to decrease MRI inflammation, clinical symptoms, and risk of future rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development.