2010 Colchicine Price Hikes Adversely Affected Gout Care

Save

Researchers from Harvard have reported their analysis showing that the large increase in colchicine cost in 2010 was associated with an immediate decrease in colchicine prescription use, with a 10 year increase in emergency department and rheumatology gout visits suggesting poorer gout control.

B-Cell Stimulating Factors Tied to Lymphoma in Sjogren's

Save

Genetic blood tests indicated that Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) and a cytokine called APRIL were overexpressed in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome who subsequently developed lymphoma, French researchers reported, suggesting that BTK inhibitors might be useful in this population.

Romosuzumab and Low Sclerostin Levels Underlie CV Risk

Save

New research highlights potential safety concerns around women taking romosozumab, a new anti-osteoporosis drug available on the NHS.

PJP Prophylaxis Needed with Steroids and Rituximab

Save

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) can be a life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients. The 2023 EULAR Vasculitis guidelines recommends primary prophylaxis with antibiotics, especially in rheumatic disease patients receiving rituximab (RTX).

National Population Insights (4.28.2023)

Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports and addresses 3 viewer case questions.

Denosumab Reduces Type II Diabetes Risk

Save

The British Medical Journal has publish a matched cohort analysis demonstrating that adults receiving denosumab had a lower risk of incident type 2 diabetes (NIDDM) compared with those taking oral bisphosphonates for osteoporosis.

A Rising Gout Risk in Asians

Save

Two independent data sets suggests the prevalence of gout among Asians has grown such that this sub-population has numerically surpassed all other racial and ethnic groups by 2018.

Want to Go Far, Go Together (4.21.2023)

Save

This week on the podcast Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, regulatory announcements and novel journal reports including a profile on pseudogout, the safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in RA patients and the diagnostic importance of neutrophils.

Sex-Specific Differences in Psoriatic Arthritis

Save

A systematic review of published literature on psoriatic arthritis (PsA), clinical features, disease activity, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) shows generally higher levels of disease activity in women, compared to men with PsA.

Renal Function Safe With Pegloticase-MTX Combo for Gout

Save

For patients with uncontrolled gout, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) remained stable with combination pegloticase (Krystexxa) and methotrexate treatment, researchers reported.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Safety with Pre-existing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Save

Lancet Rheumatology has published a retrospective analysis showing patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for cancer have the same outcomes (mortality and severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs)) even when they have pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

The Match Game (4.14.2023)

Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com, including Rheumatology success in the NRMP MATCH, Cocaine vasculitis and worrisome safety risks with Biologics and tsDMARDs.

Pain and Opioid Updates

Save

Today, the CDC and FDA provided new updates on the scope of pain in the USA and guidance on the use of opioids.

MMWR April 14, 2023