NICE Guidelines on Gout Diagnosis and Management

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NICE (UK) has systematically reviewed current medical evidence and delivered a set of recommendations with consideration of cost effectiveness.

Prevalent Sleep Problems in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Data from Data FORWARD (The National Databank for Rheumatic Diseases) reveals that nearly two-thirds of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have self-reported sleep problems.

Disease Activity Scoring in Adult-onset Still's disease

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Still's disease in adults (AOSD) or children (sJIA) can have dramatic symptom severity, making it easy to gauge disease activity and response to therapy, especially at the outset. However, a validated measure of disease activity has not been agreed (for clinical trial and treatment assessments). A new study compares two such activity measuresin a large cohort of Still's patients.

STING/IFN Activation Promotes ANCA-Associated Vasculitis Progression

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Research presented in the Journal of Experimental Medicine shows that ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) may be propagated by pathogenic mechanisms triggering cGAS/STING/IRF3-dependent IFN-I release.

Autoimmune Disease Augments Cardiovascular Risk

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A large UK database study suggests that young adults with autoimmune diseases have an associated increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

Influenza Vaccination Recommendations

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The CDC has published an update to the recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on the use of seasonal influenza vaccines in the United States for the 2022-23 season.

Olokizumab, another IL-6 Inhibitor for RA

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This week's NEJM has published the efficacy results of a large phase 3 trial of olokizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that directly targets IL-6 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

This is in contrast to two other marketed IL-6 inhibitors (sarilumab, tocilizumab) that bind to the IL-6 receptor.

Hyaluronic Acid Knee Injections Equivalent to Placebo

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In the United States, where over $300 million is spent annually on intraarticular hyaluronic acid injections, yet another study shows such therapy to be no better than placebo.

Bullous Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

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Bullous systemic lupus erythematosus (BSLE) is a rare blistering cutaneous manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

As goes SLE, bullous disease typically affects women, especially those of African descent.

Record Use of Marijuana and Hallucinogens in Young Adults

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The NY Times reports that a recent survey of drug use indicates that daily consumption of marijuana among young adults nearly doubled in the last decade. This is coupled with growing mainstream acceptance of cannabis and hallucinogenic compounds.

Bidirectional Association Between Depression and Rheumatoid Arthritis

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A recent meta-analysis suggests a bidirectional association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and depression.  Finding RA patients with depression yields an 80% increased mortality risk.

Anti-cytokine therapies represents a potential alternative for the treatment of depression.

Weight Loss Slows Knee OA Progression

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Declines in body mass index (BMI) were linked with slower worsening of knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to data from three large longitudinal cohort studies.

Axial Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis with Psoriasis

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A cohort analysis from Toronto suggests that axial psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is distinctly different from axial ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with psoriasis.

What to do with "no-shows"

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A current Medscape article on patient "no shows" in private medical practice examines the cause and approach to the problem.

The most common reason for no shows is lack of knowledge about the scheduled appointment. Here are other common causes of no-shows, and how to address the problem.

Managing JDM with Calcinosis

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow and discusses a case of refractory juvenile dermatomyositis with calcinosis.

Melatonin Use Growing, Inappropriate & Potentially Unsafe

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With nearly one-third of adults, adolescents and children having sleep difficulties, many resort to using melatonin. JAMA reports substantial increases in the use of over-the-counter (OTC) melatonin, in all age groups. But is it effective, safe and warranted?

Low Dose IL-2 Therapy in SLE

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A multicentre, proof-of-concept trial of suggests that low-dose IL-2 therapy may be effective in moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Drug-Induced Lupus from Proton Pump Inhibitors

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A wide range of therapies have been implicated in causing drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DIL); now it appears that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can be added to the list of causative drugs.

Favorable Pregnancy Outcomes in Spondyloarthritis

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Pregnancy often occurs in women with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), and a recent cohort study suggests outcomes are generally better than what had been reported in the literature.

JUNIPERA Study - Secukinumab in Juvenile PsA & ERA

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JUNIPERA study evaluated secukinumab (SEC) in children with enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) and juvenile psoriatic arthritis (JPsA) and was found to be safe and effective in patients with active ERA and JPsA who previous failed to respond to conventional therapy.