A systematic review of long-term muscle relaxant use for chronic pain suggests they may be effective in treating trigeminal neuralgia, cramps, and neck pain, but not fibromyalgia, low back pain, and other pain syndromes.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and a new FDA approval for EGPA, this week on the Podcast.

How aggressively do you treat newly diagnosed new-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or should you wait for organ involvement?

Lancet Rheumatology has published the results of the TREAT EARLIER trial, showing the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis may be enhanced by risk stratification, particularly in anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA)-negative people with clinically suspect arthralgia.

University of Sydney research has found people over 65 are being prescribed antidepressants as pain treatment based on international guidelines that use limited evidence. The study found that in the last 40 years there have been only 15 trials globally focusing on the benefit of antidepressants for pain in older people. This study fills a much-needed gap in research by bringing together the information from these trials to look at the efficacy and harms of antidepressants for acute and chronic non-cancer pain in those over 65 years old.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com.

There are significant concerns about the safety of drug use during pregnancy and lactation, especially newer biologic agents. This is complicated by a lack of research. 

Methotrexate (MTX) is commonly used in the treatment of pediatric inflammatory skin conditions, often for off-label indications. Consensus based recommendations were published to address 5 major subjects.

Now that multiple prevention clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been completed, a group of investigators have reviewed the results and published their recommendations for future trial designs and drug development to assess interventions that may alter disease development.