The RheumNow Week in Review - 15 December 2017

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news from the past week on RheumNow.com. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud.com. 

FDA Approves Xeljanz for Use in Psoriatic Arthritis

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Pfizer Inc.

Cochrane Review: Calcium Channel Blocker Efficacy in Raynaud's

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The Cochrane Database has published its review of calcium channel blockers (CCB) in Raynaud's phenomenon, showing CCBs may be useful in reducing the frequency, duration, severity of attacks, pain and disability associated with Raynaud's phenomenon, especially with primary Raynaud's.

Fatigue, HAQ and Hand Disability Correlated in Early Systemic Sclerosis

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Early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (SSc) was associated with high levels of disability and fatigue, according to analysis of data from the European Scleroderma Observational Study cohort.

Febuxostat Works in Early Gout But Fails to Protect from Xray Damage

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Dalbeth and colleagues have published a novel report in Arthritis & Rheumatology, novel in that it is a trial of early gout patients that looks at clinical and radiographic outcomes. They showed that febuxostat improves magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of synovitis and reduced gout flares, but failed to alter X-ray progression with 2 years follow-up. 

FDA Approves Mepolizumab for Churg-Strauss (EGPA)

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of Nucala (mepolizumab) for use in treating adults with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), previously known as Churg-Strauss vasculitis. This is first FDA-approved therapy specifically to treat EGPA. 

Kidney Dysfunction Frequent in RA

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Renal dysfunction is common among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly among older patients, women, and those with hypertension, Japanese researchers reported.

Offspring of RA Women Have Higher Risk of RA and Other Diseases

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Despite a growing body of evidence suggesting that maternal health is more important than maternal medications to fetal and infant outcomes, little is known about the long term oucomes of infants born to mothers with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using Danish population data, researchers have shown in utero exposure to maternal RA is associated with an increased risk of thyroid disease, and an increased risk of future RA.

AASM Guidelines for Sleep Apnea Testing

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A task force from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) performed a systematic review of the scientific literature on obstructive sleep apnea and screening tests.

2017 Update of Treat to Target Recommendations for SpA/PsA

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A 2017 international committee of experts met to assess and revise its earlier 2012 recommendations regarding treating to target in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA). 

Why TNF Inhibitors May Work in Some Autoinflammatory Patients

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The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical component of the innate immune system and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome results in caspase-1–dependent secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18.

The RheumNow Week in Review - 8 December 2017

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Dr. Jack Cush covers the news and journal articles published on RheumNow.comin the past week.

Knee Surgery Outcomes Worse with Low Education

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Reuters reports that patients who live in low-income communities and lack a college education may have worse pain after knee replacement surgery than their more educated neighbors, citing results from a recent study from the Hospital for Special Surgery in NY.

Infliximab Does Not Increase Perioperative Infection

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Staying on a TNF inhibitor (TNFi) throughout major surgery has generatlly been associated with higher rates of perioperative infection (https://buff.ly/2iBFVjp).  On the other hand, discontinuation of the TNFi prior to surgery is associated with lower ra

Rheumatology Year in Review

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During 2017, the improvements and refinements seen during previous years in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis have been extending to other conditions ranging from psoriatic arthritis to lupus and for both monoclonal antibodies and oral small molecule medications.

Do JAK Inhibitors Increase the Risk of Venous Thromboembolic Events?

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Drug Safety has published a systematic review of the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) and finds numerous reports of thromboembolic adverse events (AEs) associated with two currently marketed Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, tofacitinib (Xeljanz) and ruxolitinib (Jakafi).

PRECISION Subanalyses Question Aspirin Use

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The PRECISION trial reported last year that celecoxib appears to be safer than the NSAIDs naproxen or ibuprofen in treating osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis patients who are at increased cardiovascular risk. New data suggests that adding aspirin may nullify this advantage, according to a study presented at the annual American Heart Association meeting and reported by Medscape.

Fibromyalgia Diagnosed by Two Simple Tests

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Researchers from the Oregon Health Science Center have reported that fibromyalgia can be distinguished from chronic pain by primary care providers (PCPs) who employ two simple screening tests: BP cuff-evoked pain and a single patient question, and pain induced by pinching the Achilles tendon.&nbs

Ixekizumab (Taltz) FDA Approved for Psoriatic Arthritis

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On Friday, December 1st, the FDA approved Lilly's drug Taltz (ixekizumab) for use in adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. 

Taltz, an IL-17 inhibitor, has previously been approved for plaque psoriasis where it has shown high level PASI75 and PASI100 responses.

The ACR17 RheumNow Week in Review - 1 December 2017

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Dr Jack Cush reviews nighlights and news from the past 2 weeks on RheumNow.com. This week's report includes new drug approvals, disappointing ACR guidelines, Lyme & Zika, infertility, dermatomyositis skin outcomes and myositis-associated cancer testing.