RECITAL Trial: RTX vs. CTX in CTD-ILD

Save

A UK study suggests the equivalent outcomes when patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with connective tissue disease (CTD) are treated with either intravenous rituximab (RTX) or cyclophosphamide (CTX), but with fewer adverse events with RTX. 

Just Can’t Get Enough of Hydroxychloroquine

Save

When it comes to hydroxychloroquine dosing, issues on efficacy, toxicity and therapeutic thresholds may affect the optimal use of this important drug.

Following are three abstracts presented during the meeting that address these topics.

Steroid injections worsen knee arthritis

Save

Two studies comparing injections commonly used to relieve the pain of knee osteoarthritis found that corticosteroid injections were associated with the progression of the disease.

Low Dose IL-2 Therapy in Sjögren’s

Save

There is a large, unmet need in treating Sjögren’s syndrome, yet a new randomized clinical trial has shown that low-dose interleukin 2 (LD-IL-2) was effective effective and well tolerated in patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), with evidence of restored immune balance.

Tyk2 Inhibition Effective in SLE

Save

Deucravacitinib, an oral, selective TYK2 inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy in a phase II trial active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Practical Guidance for the Clinical Rheumatologist in Unplanned Pregnancies

Save

Discussions regarding family planning, contraception, and pregnancy should be approached at each clinic visit to ensure providers understand patients’ personal goals. These conversations have the potential to decrease the risk of unplanned pregnancies. However, rheumatologists may need to manage unplanned pregnancies and the impacts of accidental teratogenic exposure.

RA: MACE Events with Opioids vs. NSAIDs

Save

Addressing chronic pain often leads general practitioners and specialists to prescribe opioids. However, opioids (weak and strong) have not demonstrated efficacy in long-term pain management; their chronic use could even worsen pain in users. Opioids prescription is often perceived as being safer than NSAIDs prescription, especially in respect to MACE.

Was this a Mistake? HCQ Dose Reductions per AAOS Guidelines

Save

In the wake of the 2016 AAOS Guidelines, rheumatologists dutifully reduced the dose HCQ take by patients with SLE to some number south of 5mg/kg per day. Though I believe the ophthalmologists correctly interpreted a 2014 paper in JAMA Ophthalmology that quoted a much-higher rate of HCQ associated retinopathy than had previously been appreciated, they and subsequent guidelines published in the field of rheumatology lacked a critical piece of information: what actually happens when you do this?

ACR 2022 Appraisal, Praise & Critique (11.18.2022)

Save

It was great to be back at an ACR annual meeting, this one in Philadelphia - Philly was great. A walking town, rich in culture, history and good places to meet and mingle. 

I loved the city, but not the convention center (not easy to navigate). 

Methotrexate + pegloticase increases response rates in gout

Save

In abstract 0001 presented at ACR22 Convergence, researchers presented 12-month data from a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of pegloticase with or without MTX.

ACR Best Abstracts - Day 3

Save

The last day was jammed with important reports and research including the late breaking abstracts.