Nurse-Led Patient Care in Rheumatology

Save

Manpower in rheumatology is about to be a major problem for the next several decades: not enough trainees, a "tsunami of retiring older white rheumatologists", and an aging baby-boomer, arthritis-primed population will strain current resources and manpower.  Moreover, necessary services will not likely be available to those in need and there may be a significant maldistribution of adequate rheumatologic care.

Biosimilar Reports – May 2017

Save

Biosimilars continue to command a great deal of research, development and attention given the promise of significant cost savings and potentially wider use for those in need. Biosimilar Reports is an ongoing series dedicated to advances, discussions and developments in biosimilar agents intended for use by rheumatologists. 

Higher Fracture Risks with Prolonged Bisphosphonate Use in Older Women

Save

The Journal of the American Geriatric Society has reported that older women receiving bisphosphonate therapy for greater than 10-13 years were more likely to suffer from fractures.

20% Price Hike Among Pfizer Drugs

Save

The increasing cost of drug has been the subject of concern and review - by legislators, reporters and patients.

The Financial Times has reviewed the annual price increases for the 91 drugs in Pfizers portfolio, showing an average price increase by 20 percent in the past year.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 2 June 2017

Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com. 

Chondroitin Effective in Knee OA. Or is it?

Save

Reginster and colleagues have reported on the results of the CONCEPT trial showing that osteoarthritis (OA) patients treated 800 mg/day of  pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate (CS) have less VAS pain scores and improved function over 6 months therapy. These results were superior to placebo and equivalent to celecoxib in reducing in symptomatic OA knee pain.

Ohio Sues Five Pharma Companies Over Opioid Epidemic

Save

Ohio is suing five major drug manufacturers, accusing them of misrepresenting the risks of prescription opioid painkillers that has resulted in the current opioid epidemic.

New BSR 2017 Gout Guidelines

Save

The British Society for Rheumatology/British Health Professionals in Rheumatology first published a guideline for the management of gout in 2007. They have just updated and published their new guideline, largely because of new therapies, an increasing incidence of gout, low penetrance of urate lowering therapies, and the inability to achieve a target serum uric acid level.

Both Undertreatment and Overtreatment Common in JIA

Save

Kimme L. Hyrich, MD, PhD, of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, and colleagues point out that because of the lack of consensus in diagnostic criteria, "the same child could be classified as 'in clinically inactive disease' or having active disease at the same time point between clinicians or hospitals."

Golimumab Fails in Polyarticular Juvenile Arthritis

Save

Treatment options for children with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (polyJIA) have lagged behind that seen with adult rheumatoid arthritis.

Biologics Before Triple DMARD is Not Cost Effective in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Save

Stepping up to biologic therapy when methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy fails was not shown to be cost effective, compared to first trying triple therapy, in a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

High Fiber Intake May Decrease Osteoarthritis Knee Pain

Save

Dai, Felson and colleagues report in Annals of Rheumatic Disease that high dietary fiber lowers the risk of symptomatic osteoathritis (SxOA), but the radiographic benefits remain unclear. (Citation source http://buff.ly/2rHv9yd)

The RheumNow Week in Review - 26 May 2017

Save

Dr. Jack Cush Reviews highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com:

Low Dose Treatment in Ankylosing Spondylitis Still Effective

Save

About one-third of ankylosing spondylitis patients who cut their etanercept (Enbrel) dose in half maintained responses over 4 years, compared with two-thirds who stayed on standard therapy, researchers reported.

Ixekizumab Effective in TNF Failure Psoriatic Arthritis - SPIRIT-P2 Trial

Save

Ixekizumab (Taltz) is currently approved for use in plaque psoriasis and is being developed for use in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). New results show IXE to be highly effective at skin and joint outcomes in PsA patients who have failed a TNF inhibitor (TNFi).

NLRP3 Activation in Still's Disease

Save

Adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) is usually regarded as an autoinflammatory disease, largely because of its symptomatology and responsiveness to IL-1 inhibition.

Anti-IL-5 Success in Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

Save

The NEJM reports success when using mepolizumab (anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody) in a 52 week study of patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).

Actemra - First FDA Approved Drug for Giant Cell Arteritis

Save

The FDA has approved subcutaneous tocilizumab for use in Giant Cell Arteritis based on the phase III GiACTA study that demonstrated that TCZ with steroids was superior to steroid therapy alone.

IL-6 Inhibitor Kevzara Granted FDA Approval for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Save

The FDA has approved sarilumab (Kevzara), a new IL-6 inhibitor co-developed by Regeneron and Sanofi's, for use in adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Anti-Sclerostin Drug Hampered by Heart Problems

Save

Reuters reports that FDA approval of romosozumab (brand name Evenity) may be held up because of higher rates of cardiac events seen in a late-stage clinical trial.