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ACR Comments on US Healthcare Policy
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) said it has already joined with hundreds of organizations to submit 26 health policy comment letters to federal officials this year—surpassing the 24 letters the College submitted in 2022.
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Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome Review
The Cleveland Clinic Journal has published a full-read review of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition often seen in clinic with symptoms like fibromyalgia, but is clinically diagnosed with finding sustained tachycardia upon standing without orthostatic hypotension.
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English for the Biologically-Challenged (8.4.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week highlights Veterans, Vegetarians and Antenatal Corticosteroids.
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Antenatal Corticosteroids and Serious Infection in Offspring
A claims data study shows that maternal use of antenatal corticosteroids may be associated with an increased risk of serious infection in the offspring's first 12 months.
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Bifunctional B-cell Targeted Therapy in IgG4-related Disease
A novel B-cell depletion trial, using obexelimab (a bifunctional, monoclonal antibody that binds CD19 and Fc gamma receptor IIb), has shown efficacy and safety in patients with active IgG4-related disease.
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Tofacitinib in Polymyalgia Rheumatica (EAST PMR Study)
An open-label, uncontrolled pilot trial has shown that JAK signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of PMR and that tofacitinib is as effective as glucocorticoids (GC) in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).
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Altered Gut Biome in Inflammatory Arthritis
Another study has confirmed that the intestinal microbiome's composition in people with inflammatory arthritis differs from that in other people, and in potentially unhealthy ways -- but whether the microbiome alterations actually cause arthritis is less clear. In fact, the investigato
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Predicting Inflammatory Arthritis in At-Risk Persons
The Annals of Internal Medicine has published a predictive score to distinguish low-risk from high-risk inflammatory arthritis (IA) and who may benefit from risk stratification and preventive measures.
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IL-23 Inhibitor Performance in Psoriatic Disease
IL-23 inhibitors are approved for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis; a single center real-world observational study shows three commercially available IL-23 inhibitors have high and similar drug survival and effectiveness in difficult-to-treat psoriasis and PsA.
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2023 ACR/EULAR Criteria for Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease
The prevalence of radiographic chondrocalcinosis is estimated to be 4% to ≥10% in older adults, but the prevalence of symptomatic calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease is unknown. To advance our understanding of CPPD, the American College of Rheumatology and EULAR have published validated classification criteria for symptomatic CPPD disease.
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Unrecognized Mental Health Problems in Autoimmune Diseases
More than half of patients with auto-immune conditions experience mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, yet the majority are rarely or never asked in clinic about mental health symptoms, according to new research from the University of Cambridge and King’s College London.
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WHO Safety Study of Five TNF Inhibitors
Large scale analysis of adverse events (AEs) in World Health Organization (WHO) VigiAccess database showed no new safety signals associated with long-standing use of five TNFα inhibitors.
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Link Between Vitamin D and Psoriasis Severity
More than eight million people in the U.S. experience psoriasis, a condition in which skin cells build up and form itchy dry patches. A person’s vitamin D levels could play an important role in psoriasis severity, according to one of the largest studies to date.
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SGLT2 Inhibitors Reduce Gout Flares and CV Events
A cohort analysis shows that gout patients initiating sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) had lower serum urate levels and fewer gouty flares requiring emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalizations.
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MMWR: Arthritis Among Children and Adolescents
The CDC estimates that nearly 220,000 children and adolescents had arthritis during 2017–2021.
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"Ask Cush Anything" Returns (7.21.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports and this week, takes on 5 cases/questions from "Ask Cush Anything"
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Tofactitinib in PsA & RA: Nine Year Safety Data
Tofacitinib is FDA approved for psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but long term safety outcomes beyond a year are limited. A real-world, post-marketing surveillance of tofacitinib in PsA and RA shows a consistent pattern of safety with no new safety concerns identified.
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Voclosporin in SLE - Long-Term Safety and Efficacy
The AURORA 2 study evaluated the long-term safety and efficacy of voclosporin lupus nephritis patients and, after three years, demonstrated long term safety and efficacy following the one-year AURORA 1 study.
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Infectious Risk with B Cell Therapies in Lupus
A UK registry study of moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients showed that treatment with rituximab or belimumab was not associated with a greater risk of serious infection, when compared to standard of care therapy.
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RNase Treatment of Autoimmune Disorders
U1RNP complex, Ro/SSA and La/SSB are major RNA-containing autoantigens associated with autoimmune disorders. Immune complexes (ICs) composed of RNA-containing autoantigens and autoantibodies are suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of some systemic autoimmune diseases.
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